Which of the following is a function of NERC?

The role of NERC, or the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, centers around ensuring the reliability of the electric grid in the United States and Canada. One of its primary functions is to set and enforce reliability standards for the electric grid, which is essential for maintaining consistent and dependable electricity supply. By establishing these standards, NERC helps to mitigate the risks of blackouts and increases the overall resilience of the electrical infrastructure.

Implementing and enforcing reliability standards involves comprehensive assessments and the development of practices that utilities must adhere to in order to operate reliably and efficiently. These standards cover various aspects of the electric grid, including transmission, resource planning, and operations, ensuring that all participants are following agreed-upon guidelines for system reliability.

In contrast, the other choices revolve around functions that are outside the scope of NERC's responsibilities. For instance, providing financial assistance or regulating energy prices are managed by different entities within the energy market, while licensing electrical engineers typically falls under professional engineering boards, not NERC. Therefore, B correctly identifies a core responsibility of NERC that is critical for the stability and reliability of the electric grid.