New Report Highlights Problems with Transmission Planning, Proposes Solutions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report released today highlights why the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) needs to reform the nation’s electric transmission planning process and offers a blueprint for a new rule that would properly support a reliable, affordable, and clean power system. The report, Planning for the Future: FERC’s Opportunity to Spur More Cost-Effective Transmission Infrastructure, was commissioned by Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG) with support from the Macro Grid Initiative, a project of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). Following is a statement from ACORE’s President and CEO Gregory Wetstone:

“Tackling transmission planning reform is one of the most impactful things the federal government can do to accelerate the deployment of the renewable power necessary to address our climate challenge. Ten years after being finalized, not one interregional transmission line has been built using the process established under Order 1000. With more interregional transmission, we can connect centers of high renewable resources with centers of high electric demand, enhancing grid resiliency and dramatically reducing carbon emissions.

“Today’s report is not just an excellent analysis of the shortcomings in current transmission planning, but also a powerful and achievable blueprint for how FERC can move forward. I encourage the Commission to carefully consider this document and its recommendations.”

Background

The 15 states between the Rockies and the Mississippi River account for 88 percent of the nation’s wind technical potential and 56 percent of solar technical potential. However, this region is home to only 30 percent of expected 2050 electricity demand. Stitching together the major regions of the power system would allow the U.S. to harness its abundant renewable resources and balance electric demand across the country. Read more on the Macro Grid Initiative here.

 Read more on the need for transmission planning reform in ACORE’s report, Advancing America’s Climate Leadership: Policy Options That Most Effectively Put Renewable Energy to Work, and ACORE’s comments on FERC’s Electric Transmission Incentives Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

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About ACORE:
Founded in 2001, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is the nation’s premier pan-renewable organization uniting finance, policy and technology to accelerate the transition to a renewable energy economy. For more information, please visit www.acore.org.

Media Contact:
Alex Hobson, Vice President of Communications, ACORE
hobson@acore.org | 202.777.7584 (o) | 202.594.0706 (c)