In this report we compare the cost of power outages with the associated economic value of electric reliability. We explain the benefits of affordable microgrid services using natural gas as fuel, and we detail how microgrids can leverage wholesale power markets during normal operations, enhancing their value proposition and strengthening the broader electric grid. We also discuss why these grid services become increasingly important as the electric grid becomes more dependent on renewable energy to generate power. Finally, we offer real-world examples of how microgrids, using the reliability-as-a-service model, performed in Texas during Hurricane Harvey, keeping the lights on in stores and service stations for both customers and first responders in an otherwise darkened landscape.