The impact of growing power demand is a key problem in the drive to decarbonize U.S. electricity, said Robert Rowe, president of NorthWestern Energy.

Participants in a U.S. Energy Association webinar said electric industry stakeholders must work together to address supply chain issues.

The U.S. has an abundance of critical minerals, but not the political will to build out mining and processing supply chains, USEA panelists said.

The industry says DOE's Building a Better Grid initiative will prioritize national transmission solutions, allowing more renewable resources on the grid.

The U.S. has a diverse range of energy resources, and all are critical to the nation’s clean energy future, said industry reps speaking at a USEA conference.

A key theme at the USEA forum was the push toward developing no- and low-carbon technologies that have applications beyond energy generation.

Participants in a Friday press briefing warned that the current enthusiasm for addressing extreme weather and cybersecurity could be hard to sustain.

A drought in the West is cutting into hydropower supplies needed for summer reliability, especially in California, panelists in a USEA briefing said.