{{Short description|American independent nonprofit organization}}{{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Primary sources|date=February 2009}} {{Infobox organization | name = Electric Power Research Institute | native_name = Electric Power Research Institute | native_name_lang = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | abbreviation = EPRI | successor = | formation = 1972 | founder = Chauncey Starr | founding_location = Palo Alto, California | type = non-profit | purpose = Energy management R&D | headquarters = Palo Alto | location = {{f-p}}Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Middle East<ref name=enin/> | origins = United States Congress | region_served = | products = White papers, research reports, Annual Portfolio Brochure<ref>{{Cite web |title=EPRI Home |url=https://www.epri.com/portfolio |access-date=2025-11-06 |website=www.epri.com}}</ref><ref name=mpost/> | services = | methods = | fields = | num_members = | num_members_year = | language = | leader_title = President & CEO | leader_name = Arshad Mansoor | board_of_directors = Tom Kent, chairman | key_people = | subsidiaries = EPRI International Inc.<ref name=enin>{{Cite web |title=Electric Power Research Institute {{!}} CEC |url=https://www.energizeinnovation.fund/innovation-partner/electric-power-research-institute |access-date=2025-11-06 |website=www.energizeinnovation.fund}}</ref> | secessions = | affiliations = | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | num_students = | num_students_year = | website = <!-- {{URL|epri.com}} --> }}
The '''Electric Power Research Institute''' ('''EPRI''') is an American independent, nonprofit organization that conducts research and development related to the generation, delivery, and use of electricity to help address challenges in the energy industry, including reliability, efficiency, affordability, health, safety, and the environment.<ref name=eif/>
EPRI's principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, California; Charlotte, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Washington, DC; and Lenox, Massachusetts.<ref name=eif/>
==History== In November 1965, the Great Northeastern Blackout left 30 million people in the United States and parts of Eastern Canada without electricity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ashcraft |first=Jenny |date=2023-11-02 |title=November 9, 1965: The Great Northeastern Blackout - The official blog of Newspapers.com |url=https://blog.newspapers.com/november-9-1965-the-great-northeastern-blackout/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |language=en-US}}</ref> Historic in scale and impact, it demonstrated the nation's growing dependence upon electricity and its vulnerability to power loss. The event marked a watershed moment for the U.S. electricity sector and contributed the creation of the Electric Power Research Institute.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-20 |title=EPRI: More energy storage needed for stable, reliable grid|url=https://floridaspecifier.com/issues/v45n2/epri-more-energy-storage-needed-for-stable-reliable-grid/ |website=Florida Specifier |access-date=2025-11-04}}</ref>
Following the blackout, among other factors,<ref name=nae>{{Cite web |title=CHAUNCEY STARR 1912–2007 |url=https://nae.edu/189909/CHAUNCEY-STARR-19122007 |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=NAE Website |language=en}}</ref> the United States Congress held hearings in the early 1970s to address the lack of research guiding the power industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mydocs.epri.com/docs/CorporateDocuments/EPRI_Journal/2012-Summer/1025689_Blackout.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-08-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819152610/http://mydocs.epri.com/docs/CorporateDocuments/EPRI_Journal/2012-Summer/1025689_Blackout.pdf |archive-date=2016-08-19 }}</ref> In 1972, at a formal hearing of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, Chauncey Starr presented a vision for the Electric Power Research Institute to serve Congress's mandate for objective, scientific research.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Barker|first=Brent|date=Summer 2012|title=Born in a Blackout|url=http://mydocs.epri.com/docs/CorporateDocuments/EPRI_Journal/2012-Summer/1025689_Blackout.pdf|journal=EPRI Journal}}</ref>
Starr, then the Dean of the UCLA School of Engineering and Applied Science, led the initiative to create an independent research and development organization to support the electricity sector. He served as the founding president of the EPRI for five years, formally retired at age 65, yet while continuing his work at EPRI for the next 30 years.<ref name=nae/><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Barker|first=Brent|date=Spring 2012|title=The Man Who Never Stopped|url=http://eprijournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/1025049_Spring_online.pdf|journal=EPRI Journal|volume=1|pages=14–17}}</ref>
In 1994, EPRI received the American Meteorological Society's Award for Outstanding Service to Meteorology by a Corporation, for its development of the Model Evaluation Consortium Assessment (MECCA).<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995 GCC Climate Watch Bulletin Vol. 3 Issue 2 {{!}} DocumentCloud |url=https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/5453315-1995-3-4-Climate-Watch/ |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=embed.documentcloud.org |page=4}}</ref>
According to EPRI's 2018 research portfolio, its work encompasses research in technology, the workforce, operations, systems planning and other areas that guide and support the development of new regulatory frameworks, market opportunities, and value to energy consumers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epri.com/#/pages/product/000000003002011122/?lang=en|title=2018 Research Portfolio: Research Offerings to Shape the Future of Electricity}}</ref>
Since 2018,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Advanced Energy Supports EPRI's Electrification 2018 |url=https://www.advancedenergy.org/news/advanced-energy-supports-epris-electrification-2018 |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=Advanced Energy}}</ref> the EPRI has held an annual electrification conference and expo, and participates in the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-20 |title=Collaboration at the Core of EPRI Projects in 2022 |url=https://www.energycentral.com/home/post/collaboration-core-epri-projects-2022-WJNC4tIFPECo7wX |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=Energy Central}}</ref>
In July 2021, EPRI and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Atlanta, announced their collaboration to improve both the reliability and the resilience of the electrical grid in North America.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Atkinson|first=William|title=NERC and EPRI Collaborate To Improve Grid Reliability and Resilience |url=https://www.ecmag.com/magazine/articles/article-detail/green-building-nerc-and-epri-collaborate-improve-grid-reliability-and-resilience |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=EC Mag}}</ref>
== Research == EPRI conducts research and development into energy generation, nuclear energy, and power delivery, with three specialized labs.<ref name=eif>{{Cite web |title=Electric Power Research Institute {{!}} CEC |url=https://www.energizeinnovation.fund/innovation-partner/electric-power-research-institute |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=www.energizeinnovation.fund}}</ref> It collaborates with over 450 companies in 45 countries,<ref name=eif/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Directors |first=Hydro Review Content |date=2022-04-19 |title=EPRI chooses new board chairs, members |url=https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/energy-business/energy-finance/epri-chooses-new-board-chairs-members/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Factor This™ |language=en-US}}</ref> and is a leading source of scientific and engineering analytics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Behr |first=Peter |date=2024-03-27 |title=Grid watchdog’s extreme weather plan splits electricity industry |url=https://www.eenews.net/articles/grid-watchdogs-extreme-weather-plan-splits-electricity-industry/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=E&E News by POLITICO}}</ref>
The institute's generation research focuses on information, processes and technologies to improve the flexibility, reliability, performance, and efficiency of existing fossil-fueled and renewable energy-generating infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epri.com/#/portfolio//2018/research_areas/0/044649?lang=en|title=Generation Research Areas|website=epri.com}}</ref>
On-going research into nuclear technologies, technical guidance, and knowledge transfer tools to support the operation of existing nuclear assets and inform the deployment of new nuclear technology.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epri.com/#/portfolio//2018/research_areas/0/044648?lang=en|title=Nuclear Research Areas|website=epri.com}}</ref>
EPRI's distributed energy resources and customer research area focuses on distributed energy resource integration, efficient electrification, connectivity and information technology enabling an integrated grid and cyber security guidance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epri.com/#/portfolio//2018/research_areas/0/000031?lang=en|title=Distributed Energy Resources and Customer Research Areas|website=epri.com}}</ref>
Transmission, distribution, and substation research focuses on improving transmission asset management analytics, technology for mobile field guides, robotics and sensors to automate asset inspections, and improve understanding of electromagnetic pulse.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epri.com/#/portfolio//2018/research_areas/0/107152?lang=en|title=Transmission, Distribution, and Substations Research Areas|website=epri.com}}</ref>
==Projects and reports== EPRI publishes an "Annual Research Portfolio" of its projects.<ref name=mpost>{{Cite web |last=MPost |date=2025-01-08 |title=POWERGRID partners with US-based EPRI to drive innovation in energy transmission |url=https://www.millenniumpost.in/business/powergrid-partners-with-us-based-epri-to-drive-innovation-in-energy-transmission-593992 |access-date=2025-11-06 |website=www.millenniumpost.in }}</ref>
In October 2024, the EPRI announced a three-year project with private industry, the Data Center Flexible Load Initiative (DCFlex), to demonstrate that data centers could improve interconnection and efficiency while stabilizing the electric grid, across 10 power "flexibility hubs".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Sonal |date=2024-10-30 |title=Power and Data Center Sectors Join Forces to Resolve Mounting Electricity Demand Uncertainties |url=https://www.powermag.com/power-and-data-center-sectors-join-forces-to-resolve-mounting-electricity-demand-uncertainties/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=POWER Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harder |first=Amy |date=2025-10-29 |title=Exclusive: Nvidia backs new data center that aims to cut your electricity bill |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/10/29/nvidia-data-center-aurora-ai-electric-bill |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Axios}}</ref> By March 2025, the consortium had grown to 40 power producers, utility companies and data center operators, including new European participation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Giacobone |first=Bianca |date=2025-03-04 |title=EPRI takes its data center flexibility project global |url=https://www.latitudemedia.com/news/epri-takes-its-data-center-flexibility-project-global/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Latitude Media}}</ref>
EPRI released "Scaling Intelligence: The Exponential Growth of AI's Power Needs" in August 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Training AI models could eat up 4 gigawatts of power by 2030, report warns |url=https://www.newsweek.com/training-ai-models-could-eat-4-gigawatts-power-2030-report-warns-2112002 |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Newsweek}}</ref> projecting that data centers will require up to 12% of the American power grid by 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Bloom Energy’s CEO Sees a Cleaner Way for Gas to Meet Surging Power Demand |url=https://www.newsweek.com/bloom-energys-ceo-sees-cleaner-way-gas-meet-surging-power-demand-2117358 |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Newsweek}}</ref>
==See also== * NOREM * Central Power Research Institute
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.epri.com Official website] *[https://www.epri.com/#/portfolio/2019/home EPRI Portfolio] *[http://eprijournal.com/ EPRI Journal]
{{Energy in the USA}}
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Category:Energy research institutes Category:Engineering research institutes Category:Electric power in the United States Category:Energy in California Category:Research institutes in the San Francisco Bay Area Category:Non-profit organizations based in Palo Alto, California Category:1973 establishments in California Category:Research institutes established in 1973