At the heart of America’s aging infrastructure is the power grid that brings electricity into American homes and businesses. Modernizing the grid will reduce power outages and pollution, increase efficiency and save money, and improve performance after extreme weather events, fires, or other hazards. At the same time, modernizing the grid can boost local jobs, create opportunities for economic development, and reduce air pollution and carbon emissions.

What will it take to modernize the U.S. electricity grid? Investments in energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies and low-cost resources will provide a wider range of options for meeting consumer electricity needs. Advanced information, communication, and control system technologies can improve grid efficiency and reliability. However, to realize the potential of these possibilities, policymakers must work with other stakeholders to make institutional and policy changes that will spur innovation, enable private investment, and expand economic opportunities from anticipated investments in America’s energy future.