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Regulatory, Markets & Grid
48 resultsAncillary Services
regulatory markets and gridAncillary services are the support services that keep the grid steady. Some resources adjust output at once to keep supply and demand in ...
Avoided Cost (PURPA)
regulatory markets and gridAvoided cost is what a utility would have spent to make or buy a unit of power itself. Under the federal PURPA law, it sets the price uti...
Capacity Market
regulatory markets and gridA capacity market pays resources for promising to be ready when the grid needs them later. The pay is separate from what they earn for ma...
Clean Energy Standard
regulatory markets and gridA clean energy standard says a growing share of power must come from sources with little or no carbon. It is wider than a renewable rule ...
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA)
regulatory markets and gridCommunity choice aggregation lets a city or county buy power supply for the homes and shops in its area. Local goals, like cleaner power,...
Consumer Advocate (Ratepayer Advocate)
regulatory markets and gridA consumer advocate is a state office that speaks for utility customers. It mostly serves homes and small firms in cases before regulator...
Cost Allocation
regulatory markets and gridCost allocation is how the state splits a utility's approved costs among customer groups. Groups include homes, shops, and factories. The...
Cost of Service
regulatory markets and gridCost of service is how the state figures out what it costs to serve each kind of customer. A study sorts the utility's costs. It assigns ...
Decoupling (Revenue Decoupling)
regulatory markets and gridDecoupling breaks the link between how much power a utility sells and how much money it collects. The state sets the total revenue the ut...
Distribution System Operator (DSO)
regulatory markets and gridA distribution system operator manages the local power grid in an active way. It directs things like rooftop solar, home batteries, and s...
Electric Cooperative (Co-op)
regulatory markets and gridAn electric cooperative, or co-op, is a power company owned by the customers it serves. It is not run for profit. Members vote for the bo...
Energy Market (Day-Ahead and Real-Time)
regulatory markets and gridThe energy market is where grid operators buy and sell the power used on the grid. Most power is set up a day ahead, with a price for eac...
FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
regulatory markets and gridFERC is the federal agency that oversees the bulk side of the power system. It covers big power lines that cross state lines and markets ...
Fuel Cost Pass-Through
regulatory markets and gridA fuel cost pass-through lets a utility bill customers for what it truly pays for fuel and purchased power. It often shows up as its own ...
Grid Modernization
regulatory markets and gridGrid modernization means upgrading the grid with newer technology. This includes smart meters, sensors, automated switches, and better so...
Grid Reliability
regulatory markets and gridGrid reliability is the system's ability to keep power flowing day after day. It needs enough supply to meet demand. It also needs a grid...
Independent System Operator (ISO)
regulatory markets and gridAn Independent System Operator, or ISO, runs a region's high-voltage grid. It also runs the markets where bulk power is traded. It balanc...
Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)
regulatory markets and gridAn integrated resource plan is a utility's long-range road map. It often looks 10 to 20 years ahead. It shows how the utility will meet d...
Investor-Owned Utility (IOU)
regulatory markets and gridAn investor-owned utility is a power company owned by private shareholders. It is not owned by a city or its customers. It is often the o...
Locational Marginal Price (LMP)
regulatory markets and gridLocational marginal price is the bulk price of power at one exact spot on the grid at one time. It reflects the cost of making the next b...
Municipal Utility
regulatory markets and gridA municipal utility is a power company owned by a city or town. It is not run for profit. The city council or a local board sets its rate...
Net Energy Metering Successor Tariff
regulatory markets and gridA net energy metering successor tariff is a newer way some states pay solar customers for extra power sent to the grid. Old net metering ...
Non-Wires Alternative
regulatory markets and gridA non-wires alternative meets a local grid need without building new lines or substations. Instead, the utility uses things like batterie...
Outage / Service Interruption
regulatory markets and gridAn outage, also called a service interruption, is any time electric service stops. Causes include storms, fallen trees, broken gear, and ...
Performance-Based Regulation
regulatory markets and gridPerformance-based regulation ties part of a utility's pay to how well it does its job. The state sets goals, such as fewer outages or bet...
Planned Outage
regulatory markets and gridA planned outage is a power shutoff the utility schedules ahead of time. It lets crews safely fix, maintain, or upgrade equipment. Custom...
Provider of Last Resort (POLR)
regulatory markets and gridThe provider of last resort is the backup power supplier in states with retail choice. If you never pick a supplier, it serves you. If yo...
Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)
regulatory markets and gridA Public Safety Power Shutoff is when a utility turns off lines on purpose during risky fire weather. Strong winds and dry brush can let ...
Public Utility Commission (PUC)
regulatory markets and gridA Public Utility Commission is a state agency. It watches over power and gas companies. It must approve the rates they charge. It also re...
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)
regulatory markets and gridPURPA is a federal law from 1978. It makes utilities buy power from certain small producers, called qualifying facilities. The price is b...
Qualifying Facility (QF)
regulatory markets and gridA qualifying facility is a power producer that meets federal rules under the PURPA law. It can be a smaller plant that runs on renewable ...
Rate Base
regulatory markets and gridRate base is the value of the gear a utility has bought to serve customers. It includes things like power lines, plants, and substations,...
Rate Case
regulatory markets and gridA rate case is the formal way a utility asks the state to change its rates. The utility must show proof of its costs and plans. Groups th...
Regional Transmission Organization (RTO)
regulatory markets and gridA Regional Transmission Organization, or RTO, runs the high-voltage grid for a multi-state region. It also runs the markets where bulk po...
Reliability Standards (NERC)
regulatory markets and gridNERC reliability standards are rules for the firms that run the big power grid. They keep the high-voltage grid stable and secure. The No...
Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
regulatory markets and gridA renewable portfolio standard is a state rule about clean power sources. It says a set share of the power sold must come from sources li...
Resilience (Grid)
regulatory markets and gridGrid resilience is the power grid's ability to take a big hit and bounce back fast. Think of storms, wildfires, deep freezes, or cyberatt...
Resource Adequacy
regulatory markets and gridResource adequacy means having enough power supply lined up to meet demand at all times. It includes a cushion for extreme weather or bro...
Retail Choice (Deregulation)
regulatory markets and gridRetail choice means you can shop for the supply part of your power service. It exists in some states. Competing companies sell the power ...
Retail Electric Provider (REP)
regulatory markets and gridA retail electric provider is a company that sells power plans to customers. This setup exists in states with retail choice. The provider...
Return on Equity (Utility)
regulatory markets and gridReturn on equity is the profit rate a utility may earn on money from its shareholders. The state sets this percent in a rate case. The go...
Revenue Requirement
regulatory markets and gridThe revenue requirement is the total money a utility may collect in a year. The state sets this amount. It covers running costs, taxes, a...
Rolling Blackout
regulatory markets and gridA rolling blackout is a controlled, short shutoff of power to groups of customers in turns. It is used when demand for power tops the sup...
SAIDI/SAIFI (Reliability Metrics)
regulatory markets and gridSAIDI and SAIFI are the standard scorecards for electric service. SAIDI is the average minutes a customer went without power in a year. S...
Tariff Filing
regulatory markets and gridA tariff is a utility's official price list and service rule book. A tariff filing is when the utility sends new or changed pages to the ...
Transmission and Distribution (T&D)
regulatory markets and gridTransmission and distribution are the two parts of the system that deliver power. Transmission lines are tall and carry high voltage. The...
Universal Service
regulatory markets and gridUniversal service is the idea that everyone should be able to get basic utility service at a price they can manage. It is behind rules th...
Wholesale Electricity Market
regulatory markets and gridThe wholesale electricity market is where power is bought and sold in bulk. Power plant owners sell to the companies that serve customers...