FERC Reviews NERC Reliability Compliance Programs
Federal regulators recently analyzed over 1,800 compliance exception and enforcement cases from the past year.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Utilities
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FERC staff published a new review of North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance programs on Oct. 27, 2026. The findings detail hundreds of filings regarding compliance exceptions and Find, Fix, Track (FFT) cases submitted between October 2024 and September 2025.
Why it matters
The review provides oversight into how regional entities manage reliability programs and reporting standards across the North American power grid. By sampling these cases, regulators monitor the accuracy and integrity of the data used to maintain national infrastructure security.
Regulators evaluated 1,619 compliance exceptions and 206 FFT cases filed during the 2024-2025 review period. Staff identified errors in three of the 63 total cases sampled for the report.
The players
FERC
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil.
NERC
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation is a non-profit international regulatory authority that assures the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability of the grid.
The details
FERC staff examined 34 compliance exceptions and 29 FFT cases to assess reporting accuracy. The review identified one FFT case with an incomplete description and two compliance exceptions featuring inaccurate start or end dates.
Timeline
October 2023 through September 2024 served as the prior review period for reliability submissions.
October 2024 through September 2025 marked the primary review window for the reported 1,619 compliance exceptions.
Oct. 27, 2026, is the date FERC published the staff review findings.
Market Landscape
This analysis tracks the administrative performance of regional entities operating under the NERC Reliability Standards. It underscores the ongoing federal effort to maintain consistent reporting benchmarks across a fragmented utility sector.
While this review focuses on administrative reporting, it ensures the reliability of the national power grid that services all households. Accurate reporting helps prevent systemic failures that could disrupt utility availability or impact long-term service costs.
The takeaway
Reliability reporting serves as a critical diagnostic tool for maintaining the stability of the power grid. Customers can expect regulators to continue refining these documentation standards to minimize operational risks in the utility sector.
Further reading
For more on grid reliability oversight, visit the Utilities section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Environment+Energy Leader.
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