Utah State Senator Nate Blouin Works With NCEL to Become Leader on Clean Grid Issues

Overview: Improving Electricity Transmission in the Age of Climate Change 

After attending NCEL’s 2023 Southwest Convening, Utah State Senator Nate Blouin took what he learned about climate-friendly energy policy and introduced legislation (S.B.191) to maximize the efficiency of electricity transmission via grid-enhancing technologies (GETs). 

• In Sen. Blouin’s Words: “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.”

• What are GETs and Why Do They Matter? Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) encompass a variety of technologies used to maximize the transmission of electricity across an existing energy system. On average, new transmission lines take 10 years to be operational, which slows the transition to renewable energy. GETs can improve the transition to renewables by helping to increase the capacity of the grid faster and without building new power lines. 

Action: Southwest Convening and Peer-to-Peer Learning 

At NCEL’s convening in Santa Fe, NCEL members heard from transmission experts and participated in discussions with fellow lawmakers working on clean energy development. Before and during the event, Senator Blouin (Utah’s NCEL State Lead) worked on the development of his bill with Colorado State Senator Chris Hansen who sponsored the nation’s first law to advance GETs. The two Southwest lawmakers were connected through NCEL and Interwest Energy Alliance. 

Outcome: GETs Legislation in Utah

Since attending NCEL’s 2023 Southwest Convening, Senator Blouin has made climate-smart transmission policy a central focus of his legislative work. Equipped with new transmission expertise from the Southwest convening and discussions with lawmakers in neighboring states, Senator Blouin introduced a Utah bill (S.B.191) in 2024 to require distribution companies to analyze the cost-effectiveness of GETs when expanding or improving transmission. 

Utah S.B.191 passed the state Senate prior to the legislative session ending in March. Senator Blouin remains committed to having the bill enacted into law in the upcoming legislative session.