North America Power Grid Wildfire Mitigation Efforts Highlighted in New Reports

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) issued a Canadian‑focused wildfire mitigation report and a three‑year Wildfire Action Plan filed with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The report, based on the April 2026 Calgary workshop, outlines actions for risk assessments, reliability‑standard considerations, and utility operational practices, and sets out a roadmap that includes a wildfire reliability guideline for 2027 and a standards review in 2028. NERC chief engineer Mark Lauby and director Darrell Moore emphasized the need for coordinated action to protect the bulk power system and its customers.

Meanwhile, researchers note that wildfire smoke is creating new operational uncertainties for the U.S. West power sector. Studies from Colorado State University show that during the 2020 California fire season, solar irradiance fell 11‑17 % on average and up to 25‑61 % in heavily smoke‑affected areas, reducing solar generation when demand peaks. The phenomenon adds stress to transmission networks that are already coping with increased solar integration and longer‑distance power flows, highlighting the growing reliability challenges posed by wildfires across the continent.