FERC accepts NERC 2027 budgets with 9.23% rise in U.S. assessment

WASHINGTON, Oct 15 — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Oct 15 accepted the 2027 business plans and budgets of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), its six Regional Entities and the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (WIRAB), and authorized billing invoices to fund their 2027 operations.

NERC said in its application that the 2027 assessment allocable to the United States is $285,049,851. That is an increase of $24,078,516, or 9.23%, over the $260,971,335 overall 2026 budget allocable to the United States.

The total includes $112,790,742 for NERC, $171,655,944 for the Regional Entities and $603,165 for WIRAB, according to the order. NERC said the U.S. funding requirement equals $0.0000664 per end-user kilowatt-hour.

The order says NERC attributed the 9.52% increase in its 2027 budget excluding E-ISAC costs, to $91,082,991, in part to additional personnel, meeting and travel costs, and operating expenses.

NERC proposes a 2027 staffing level of 288.19 full-time equivalent employees, up 15.59 from 2026.

"We find that NERC's 2027 budget is reasonable and that the associated costs of NERC's jurisdictional functions are allocated equitably among end users in the United States," the commission said in the order.

The commission granted NERC's request to withdraw $456,000 from its Assessment Stabilization Reserve to reduce 2027 assessments. It also allowed five Regional Entities to use penalty monies to reduce their 2027 assessments. The commission said the decision is limited to this case.

NERC filed the application on Aug 25, 2026. Interventions and protests were due on or before Sept 15, 2026, and none was filed, according to the order.