The future beckons [electric power industry

This paper discusses the challenges that the US electric power industry has to face to continue to maintain the stable, reliable, and efficient system over the next few years. These challenges include an aging transmission system suffering from substantial underinvestment, the need for a regulatory framework that will spur independent investment, ownership and management of the nation's grid, and an aging workforce and the need for a succession plan to ensure the existence of the next generation of technical expertise in the industry. Through the efforts of many and by working together through concerned organizations, the industry can move forward to the benefit of the public and the US as a whole.