Episode 5: How FERC is reshaping the grid for the future

01:04 | Adapting systems and regulations to rising demand

Chang explains that surging electricity demand is reshaping the U.S. power system. She stresses the need to revisit existing policies and regulatory frameworks and notes that there are no quick fixes as the grid adapts to new realities.

02:1 | Ensuring sufficient supply without overbuilding

She outlines the challenge of meeting fast-growing demand while avoiding unnecessary costs. Commissioner Chang highlights the backlog of generators waiting to interconnect. She emphasises the need for a more efficient process to bring new supply online.

04:02 | Strengthening long-term transmission planning

Commissioner Chang describes FERC's long-term transmission planning reforms and notes that earlier action would have better prepared the U.S. for today's growth. She explains that planning, permitting, and building new transmission will take years but remain essential for a balanced future grid.

05:51 | Market design under pressure from rapid load growth

She explains how the U.S. market framework - spanning energy markets, ancillary services, and long-term investment signals - is being tested by unprecedented load growth. Commissioner Chang notes that existing designs may need to adapt to new system demands.

07:40 | Building resilience through standards and global learning

Commissioner Chang describes how new reliability standards, weather-related protections, and inverter-based resource requirements are strengthening system resilience. She underscores the need to learn from global events and help utilities anticipate extreme weather and operational challenges.

10:05 | Resilience is as much about practices as infrastructure

Commissioner Chang notes that resilience requires more than physical upgrades. She highlights the importance of preparation and the right practices to help systems handle severe events.

11:49 | A 2035 vision of smarter systems and responsive demand

Commissioner Chang shares her hope for smarter use of existing infrastructure and wider adoption of new technologies by 2035. She emphasises the need for more responsive demand, including the potential for electric vehicles and consumers to support the grid. She notes that achieving this will require effective regulatory and incentive frameworks.

About our guest

Judy W. Chang joined the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as a Commissioner in July 2024.

She is an energy economics and policy expert with more than 20 years of experience advising energy companies, governments and trade associations on regulatory and financial issues. Her work focuses on investment in electric transmission, clean energy, and energy storage.

Before joining FERC, Commissioner Chang served as Undersecretary of Energy and Climate Solutions for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In that role, she led efforts to develop policies for the state's energy sector and align strategies to meet climate targets set by law. She has testified before federal and state agencies in the US and Canada on transmission planning, resource deployment, and market design.

Commissioner Chang has taught as an Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. She was a Senior Fellow at its Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government. She also acted as an Ambassador for the US Department of Energy's Clean Energy Education & Empowerment Initiative. In addition, she was a founding board member of New England Women in Energy and the Environment.

She holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School. Commissioner Chang also has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Davis.