National Petroleum Council Urges Priority Reforms to Strengthen Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability

Energy Secretary Wright Welcomes National Petroleum Council Analysis and Recommendations on Reimagined Infrastructure Permitting & Gas-Electric Coordination

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- National Petroleum Council (NPC) Chair and Williams Executive Chairman Alan Armstrong today announced the release of the first two reports in the NPC's Future Energy Systems series requested by U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright in June to address unprecedented energy demand growth. Made up of more than 200 experts, the Council provided dozens of concrete policy recommendations for immediate federal action, including reforms to streamline federal permitting, improved coordination between natural gas and electric market regulators, and development of a transparent accountability framework to track system reliability performance. NPC also welcomed incoming NPC Chair, Ryan Lance, Chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips, and provided Energy Secretary Chris Wright an update on the Future Energy Systems report series.

"The NPC is proud to deliver timely, consensus-based advice to the Department of Energy on two of the most critical challenges facing our energy future," said NPC Chair Alan Armstrong. "These reports reflect months of rigorous analysis by an exceptional group of professionals who share a commitment to ensuring that America's energy systems remain reliable, affordable, and secure."

"America has extraordinary energy advantages. With smart infrastructure and smart policies, we can translate those strengths into opportunities for the American people. The NPC's data and expertise help ensure we get this right," the 17th Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said. "With America's natural gas abundance and infrastructure potential, we can drive down costs, reshore manufacturing, and grow opportunity. We want a fully energized country that expands prosperity here at home and supports peace abroad."

The Gas-Electric Coordination report, titled Reliable Energy: Delivering on the Promise of Gas Electric Coordination, finds that the growing interdependence of natural gas and electric systems has created structural and operational misalignments that, if unaddressed, pose risks to system reliability. The study calls for improved market incentives, operational practices, and accountability frameworks to prevent disruptions that can cascade across the grid.

"Gas and electricity markets were designed for different purposes," said James Y. Kerr II, chair of NPC's Committee on Gas-Electric Coordination and Chairman, President and CEO of Southern Company Gas. "Aligning them is essential to keep the lights on, support a variety of energy sources, and ensure consumers have access to affordable, reliable energy."

Toby Rice, President and CEO of EQT Corporation and co-chair of the committee, added, "Natural gas is the fuel of the future, powering our economy with affordable energy. This study lays out real, actionable steps to make sure gas and electricity work hand in hand, because reliability depends on both sectors moving in sync."

The Oil and Natural Gas Infrastructure Permitting report, titled Bottleneck to Breakthrough: A Permitting Blueprint to Build, recommends reimagining permitting approvals, improving interagency coordination, and adopting predictable, time-bound permitting processes that protect the environment while supporting economic growth. The report updates and expands the NPC's 2019 Dynamic Delivery findings, identifying regulatory inefficiencies and delays that impede investment in critical infrastructure, and recommending actions to build necessary infrastructure for long-term affordable, reliable and secure energy delivery.

François Poirier, President and CEO of TC Energy and chair of the NPC Infrastructure Permitting Committee, noted: "Fit-for-purpose permitting reform is critical to meeting future energy needs. A modern, transparent process will help accelerate investment, enhance reliability, and strengthen North America's energy leadership."

John Dabbar, the NPC's Executive Director, emphasized the value of collaboration among NGOs, academia, regulator and industry reflected in these reports. "The NPC brings together an extraordinary range of experience and expertise," Dabbar said. "These studies demonstrate what can be achieved when industry, government, and stakeholders work together to solve complex energy challenges with facts and forward-looking solutions." 

The Future Energy Systems report series will include forthcoming subcomponents that address longer-term issues related to infrastructure security, technology innovation and analyses supporting U.S. energy trade and competitiveness globally. 

The NPC is a federal advisory committee to the Secretary of Energy. Founded in 1946, the NPC is made up of approximately 200 people selected and appointed by the Secretary of Energy to advise, inform, and make recommendations, at the Secretary's request, on matters pertaining to oil and natural gas or to the oil and gas industries.

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SOURCE National Petroleum Council