Grid North America

Grid North America
Name	Grid North America
Type	Non-profit trade association
Founded	2016
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Region served	North America

Grid North America is a continental alliance focused on modernizing electrical infrastructure and advancing transmission technology across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It engages utilities, manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and research institutions to coordinate projects that intersect with policy frameworks such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Clean Energy Standard initiatives, and cross-border energy trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement legacy discussions. The organization situates itself amid stakeholders associated with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and industry consortia such as the Electric Power Research Institute and Smart Grid Interoperability Panel.

Overview

Grid North America positions itself as a convening body connecting corporate members such as General Electric, Siemens Energy, ABB Group, and Schneider Electric with public entities like the United States Department of Energy, Natural Resources Canada, and the Comisión Federal de Electricidad. Key program areas emphasize transmission expansion, interconnection standards, and technology deployment aligned with frameworks promoted by Rocky Mountain Institute, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the International Energy Agency. The association issues white papers, technical guidelines, and policy recommendations that reference regulatory precedents set by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order No. 1000 and cross-border protocols exemplified by Arizona-Sonora electric intertie projects.

History

Founded in the mid-2010s, the organization emerged from collaborations among corporate and municipal utility stakeholders who previously coordinated through forums like the GridWise Alliance and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Early initiatives drew on research partnerships with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of Toronto laboratories, as well as industry pilots with PJM Interconnection, Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), and Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Its evolution paralleled high-profile events including the Northeast blackout of 2003 aftermath reforms and policy responses to Hurricane Sandy. Founders included executives from American Transmission Company and policy advisers with experience at Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Mission and Activities

The stated mission centers on accelerating grid resilience, facilitating transmission investment, and integrating renewables such as projects linked to Alta Wind Energy Center, Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, and offshore programs near Atlantic Coast states. Activities encompass technical working groups that coordinate standards with bodies like Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Underwriters Laboratories, pilot demonstrations in partnership with Tesla, Inc. and NextEra Energy, and policy advocacy before agencies including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and provincial regulators such as Alberta Utilities Commission. Programs often reference modeling tools developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and interoperability research at Sandia National Laboratories.

Membership and Governance

Membership spans investor-owned utilities such as Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, municipal systems like Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, equipment manufacturers like Hitachi Energy, and trade groups such as the American Public Power Association and Canadian Electricity Association. Governance structures mirror nonprofit practices observed at organizations like Edison Electric Institute and include a board with representatives from member companies, academics, and former regulators from entities such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Ontario Energy Board. Funding sources combine membership dues, grants from foundations like the Bloomberg Philanthropies-supported initiatives, and contracts with agencies such as the United States Department of Energy.

Events and Conferences

Grid North America hosts annual summits that attract speakers from International Renewable Energy Agency, World Bank, and corporate CEOs from NextEra Energy and Enel North America, as well as panels featuring regulators from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and policy experts from Brookings Institution and Resources for the Future. The conferences include technical sessions modeled on formats used by IEEE Power & Energy Society and trade show components similar to DistribuTECH and CERAWeek. Workshops have featured case studies involving California Independent System Operator, New York Independent System Operator, and cross-border coordination with CFE officials from Mexico City.

Regional Impact and Projects

Regional projects associated with members include transmission upgrades tied to the Midcontinent Independent System Operator footprint, interties proposed for the Western Electricity Coordinating Council region, and community microgrid pilots in collaboration with cities like Toronto, Chicago, and Houston. The association has been involved in efforts supporting large-scale renewable corridors comparable to proposals for the Atlantic Offshore Wind industry and high-voltage direct current links akin to Quebec-New England Transmission concepts. Partnerships with indigenous governments mirror consultations documented in projects such as the Muskrat Falls development and provincial engagements like British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority initiatives.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have raised concerns about influence from corporate members including Exelon and Southern Company, alleging policy capture similar to debates seen around electric utility deregulation and controversies discussed in hearings at the United States Congress Committee on Energy and Commerce. Environmental groups such as Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council have questioned the association's positions on transmission siting and line clearance practices, citing precedents from disputes over Keystone XL and local opposition documented in cases like the Line 3 pipeline debates. Contention also arises over stakeholder representation compared to models promoted by Public Citizen and Union of Concerned Scientists, with critics urging greater transparency akin to reforms at Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proceedings.

Category:Energy organizations in North America