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The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has determined that large computational loads connecting to the Bulk‑Power System (BPS) at an unprecedented speed and scale are reshaping demand profiles and exposing reliability gaps in both planning and operations.

On March 18, 2026, NERC kicked off Project 2026‑02: Computational Loads, marking a significant step in its effort to address reliability risks associated with emerging large loads such as data centers, artificial intelligence (AI) compute clusters, and cryptocurrency mining facilities. The project is now in Phase I (defined below), with a Standard Authorization Request (SAR) open for comment through April 30, 2026.

Project 2026‑02 is a piece of NERC’s broader Large Loads Action Plan, which is intended to accelerate standards development, registration criteria updates, and interim risk‑mitigation measures for new large loads. As a sign of the rising importance of this issue, NERC’s Reliability and Security Technical Committee recently upgraded the Large Loads Task Force to a working group, now called the Large Load Working Group (LLWG).

Scope of Project 2026‑02 (Phase I)

According to the SAR approved by the NERC Standards Committee, Phase I of Project 2026‑02 focuses on creating foundational elements required to reliably integrate large computational loads into the BPS. Specifically, Phase I aims to:

  • Add new NERC Glossary terms, including definitions for “Computational Load” and “Computational Load Entity,” aligned with proposed changes to the registration criteria in NERC’s Rules of Procedure Appendix 5; and
  • Launch development of one or more new Reliability Standard(s), addressing near‑term reliability risks associated with computational loads, informed by NERC’s Level 3 Alert and LLWG materials.

To reach these goals, NERC recommends a “bridge standard” approach, allowing NERC to address the most critical computational load issues in the near term without reopening multiple existing standards in parallel. NERC has indicated that this project will require close coordination with ongoing efforts to revise its Rules of Procedure registry criteria to ensure that definitions and applicability remain aligned.

Relationship to the Large Loads Action Plan

Project 2026‑02 is a central component of NERC’s Large Loads Action Plan, which also includes:

  • Proposed revisions to NERC’s Rules of Procedure to establish Computational Load Entities as a registered functional entity type subject to NERC’s Reliability Standards.
  • An accelerated timeline aimed at completing registry criteria revisions and related NERC Reliability Standards by the end of 2026.
  • Planned issuance of a Level 3 Alert to encourage essential near‑term actions while standards development proceeds.

Implications

While Project 2026‑02 is still in its early stages, it signals a clear regulatory direction: large computational loads are expected to play a more direct role in NERC’s reliability framework. Entities involved in the development, ownership, operation, or interconnection of large data centers and similar facilities should closely monitor this project, as it may lead to new definitions, registration obligations, and compliance requirements. Stakeholder engagement during the SAR comment period provides an opportunity to shape the scope and direction of this foundational phase before drafting of specific Reliability Standards begins.

Next Steps

NERC’s 30‑day comment period started on April 1, 2026 and ends at 8:00 p.m. EST on April 30, 2026. Comments must be submitted through NERC’s Standards Balloting and Commenting System (SBS), with instructions available here. Following the close of the comment period, the drafting team will review stakeholder input and determine next steps consistent with NERC’s Standards Development Process.

For more information about NERC and this development, contact Sylvia Bartell, Emily Starobin, or another member of Husch Blackwell’s Energy Regulation team.

References

  • General information about NERC is available here.
  • Information about NERC’s Large Loads Action Plan is available here.
  • Information about Project 2026‑02: Computational Loads is available here.
  • The approved SAR for Project 2026‑02 is available here.
  • Instructions on how to submit a comment on the SAR for Project 2026‑02 are available here.

NERC Activities and Plans to Address Reliability Impacts from Large Load Integration, Mark Lauby, Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer, FERC Open Meeting, April 17, 2025, available here.