Energy Secretary Rick Perry directed his staff to develop a report including an assessment of the reliability and resilience of the electric grid and an overview of the evolution of electricity markets. The study contains a comprehensive analysis and series of recommendations from the Department of Energy (DOE) staff meant to inform and guide policy makers, regulators and the general public.

According to the report, natural gas has overtaken coal for the first time and now accounts for 34% of the nation's electricity.

“In the DOE's report, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said the continued closure of traditional baseload power plants calls for a comprehensive strategy to provide long-term reliability and resilience on the grid,” the San Antonio Business Journal reports.