Energy Policy

NEMA supports a comprehensive domestic energy policy that will efficiently provide affordable, safe, and reliable electricity to the American public.

Policymakers should focus on electrical transmission, distribution, and end-use to enhance our nation's economic competitiveness, national security, and way of life, regardless of the fuel source from which electricity is generated. 

NEMA core principles for a modern American energy policy include:

  • Energy efficiency should be considered a "first fuel" in meeting our nation's energy needs. By using energy-efficient technologies, end-users save money, burdens on the grid are minimized, and the environment and society benefits.
  • Industry-supported national consensus performance Standards and energy codes based on commercially available technologies can help reduce energy costs for consumers and other end-users.
  • Federally-adopted national consensus performance Standards supported by Federal preemption are essential to avoid a costly patchwork of conflicting state requirements.
  • Federal, state, and local governments can play an important role by increasing consumer awareness and adoption of energy-efficient technologies through education, outreach, code adoption and enforcement, and incentive programs.
  • Insufficient electric infrastructure impedes economic growth and reduces the dependability and resilience of the electric grid.
  • Burdensome regulations and outdated policies make approval of electric transmission projects—whether they are technology upgrades in existing rights-of-way or entirely new lines—extremely slow, expensive, and difficult to attain.
  • A smarter electric grid, which applies monitoring, analysis, control, and communication capabilities to the national electricity delivery system, would improve the reliability, security, and efficiency of the electric grid.
  • Protection from and the ability to respond to cybersecurity events are critical to the Smart Grid. Cybersecurity policies must provide a common risk-based approach that gives manufacturers, utilities, and grid operators the flexibility to respond quickly and decisively.