#Ep313

Grid modernization is accelerating across America. In Q2 2025 alone, 48 states plus DC and Puerto Rico took 468 actions to modernize their grids through energy storage, microgrids, and virtual power plants. This shift is reshaping how utilities deliver reliable, resilient power.

Today on the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague speaks with Vincent Potter, Policy Project Manager at NC State Clean Energy Technology Center, about the latest 50 States of Grid Modernization report. Potter tracks policy developments across all 50 states every quarter, providing unmatched insight into how states are transforming their grids from centralized, one-way systems into decentralized, interactive networks that integrate distributed energy resources.

Key Highlights:

• 41 states took action on energy storage in Q2 2025, making battery deployment a nationwide priority
• Self-healing grid technology is now deployed in major population centers, allowing utilities to reroute power around failed transformers
• Virtual power plants are emerging as non-wires alternatives that reduce utility capital investments
• Performance-based regulation is shifting utilities from guaranteed returns to outcome-driven compensation
• Microgrids are moving from niche pilots to mainstream resilience tools in Hawaii, Oregon, Texas, and West Virginia
• Time-of-use rates and advanced metering infrastructure are enabling smarter energy consumption patterns
• Equity and environmental justice are being incorporated into resilience planning in states like Maryland, New York and Illinois 

The grid is evolving faster than most people realize. To stay informed about clean energy policy and technology, subscribe to the Clean Power Hour and visit cleanpowerhour.com for more resources.

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Vincent Potter
NC State Clean Energy Technology Center

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