Resource adequacy is the planning standard that requires utilities and other load-serving entities to line up enough generation and storage capacity, plus a reserve margin, to meet forecast peak demand. In California the standard is set by the CPUC and administered through CAISO.
The 2026 numbers
- CAISO’s summer assessment forecast a 50-percent-probability peak of 46,844 megawatts with a 2,547 megawatt surplus above the standard, and a planning reserve margin of 30.8 percent in the tightest hour.
- Actual demand passed 50,000 megawatts on September 9, 2026, and the system held without a Flex Alert.
Why it matters for parking
Resource adequacy is where flexible loads get their value. A garage that can shift or shed EV charging on request is, in planning terms, capacity, and the programs that pay for it are built on this standard. Source: California ISO.