The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil.  FERC oversees NERC, the Electric Reliability Organization.
 

NERC

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is the organization that develops and enforces reliability standards; assesses future adequacy; and audits owners, operators, and users of the bulk power system for preparedness. As the Electric Reliability Organization, NERC is subject to audit by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and governmental authorities in Canada.
 

Reliability Coordinators

Reliability Coordinators (RCs) are organizations that monitor the bulk power system in large geographic areas of North America and coordinate the use of the bulk power system, or grid, to prevent (or reduce) the likelihood of a system overload or blackout.  They do real-time monitoring and analysis of the grid 24/7/365 and are in constant communication with the owners and operators of the generation and transmission systems to maintain a reliable power supply for all who are connected to the bulk power system.  In the MRO region, the RCs are Midwest ISO and Saskatchewan Power.  RCs also follow Reliability Standards and are monitored for compliance.
 

Regional Entities

Regional Entities (REs) are non-profit organizations operating under delegated authority from NERC. They are responsible for: developing and implementing reliability standards; providing seasonal and long term assessments; and monitoring and enforcing standards to ensure the reliability of the bulk power system. MRO is one of eight REs in North America.  MRO’s region covers the Upper Midwest of North America and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.