US Sets Clear Rules to Fast-Track Grid-Forming Power

New US guidelines set firm benchmarks for grid-forming inverters, aiming to boost reliability and speed renewable integration

13 Feb 2026

The rules governing parts of the US power grid are being recast, as a Department of Energy-backed consortium sets clearer standards for equipment seen as critical to the shift towards renewable energy.

In January, the Universal Interoperability for Grid-Forming Inverters Consortium released Version 3 of its performance specifications. The document introduces measurable, pass-or-fail benchmarks for how grid-forming inverters should operate during system stress, a step that industry participants say has been lacking.

As coal and gas plants retire, solar farms, wind projects and battery storage are playing a larger role in maintaining electricity supply. Unlike conventional generators, which rely on large spinning turbines, these resources use inverters to convert power into electricity suitable for the grid. Grid-forming inverters go further, helping to regulate frequency and voltage, functions historically provided by thermal plants.

Until now, performance expectations for such inverters have differed across regions and projects. Developers have faced shifting requirements, utilities have navigated uncertainty, and manufacturers have built equipment to varying interpretations of grid needs.

Version 3 seeks to provide a common reference point. By defining how inverters should respond to disturbances, the specifications aim to reduce ambiguity in interconnection studies, limit technical disputes and potentially shorten procurement timelines.

The update is also expected to inform a forthcoming IEEE recommended practice focused on grid-forming systems. Although the consortium’s specifications are not formal regulations and have not been adopted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation or state authorities, they are likely to influence future rulemaking and utility standards.

Major manufacturers, including GE Vernova and Siemens Energy, are closely monitoring the development. For equipment suppliers and project developers, grid-forming capability is increasingly seen as a standard requirement rather than a specialised feature.

In several US regions, renewable sources already account for more than half of peak-hour electricity. As that share rises, questions of reliability are becoming both technical and political.

Regulators will ultimately decide how these guidelines are incorporated into formal frameworks. But the direction of travel suggests a more defined technical foundation for an increasingly renewable grid.