Briefing Book
Transmission Briefing Book
June 20, 2024
Issue Area
Transmission
Overview
The power grid desperately needs increased transmission development to ensure reliability, resiliency, and security. Transmission serves as the vital infrastructure for our electrical system, working to bring energy from where it’s produced to where it’s used. Generated electricity is sent on transmission lines, forming the network known as the power grid, which connects different parts of the country and facilitates the movement of electricity.
Currently, the U.S. has immense congestion along transmission lines and needs more capacity, especially for the increasing integration of clean energy resources. Despite this, no single entity organizes the grid, and transmission lines often require extensive permitting and approval of multiple regional, state, and local authorities. State legislators can play a crucial role in long-term transmission planning, strengthening ties between regions, and proposing new legislation to increase transmission development.
Key Facts
According to the Department of Energy’s National Transmission Needs study, the U.S. will need 47,000 gigawatt (GW) miles of new high-voltage transmission capacity by 2035. As of 2021, only 386 miles of new lines have been built.
Approximately 192 million people live in regions served by an RTO or ISO.
Improved transmission will allow for more distributed energy resources like solar to be connected to the grid, creating better access to cleaner, cheaper, and more local energy resources.
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Legislator Spotlights
The day I spent with NCEL at the [2023 pre-forum] event changed my level of understanding of transmission from zero to being ready to introduce legislation on this topic. I can't stress enough the level of expertise that NCEL has and how good they are at what they do.
Mark Gamba, State Representative, Oregon
“The original idea for that bill came out of some of the convenings that NCEL has done. We got to go down to Santa Fe and meet with a bunch of folks from across the region who worked on transmission last year, and Grid Enhancing Technologies were something that I’ve seen out there and heard of but they’ve really come to the forefront in the last few months through groups like NCEL.”
Nate Blouin, State Senator, Utah
