20 Dec
WASHINGTON, DC (December 20, 2019)—Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG) applauds Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) for introducing the Interregional Transmission Improvement Act of 2019 (S. 3109). The bill will help bolster the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) planning process for identifying transmission projects across regions that provide economic, reliability, operational, and public policy benefits.
ACEG joins twelve other groups in endorsing the bill, including American Council on Renewable Energy, American Wind Energy Association, Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company, BlueGreen Alliance, Ceres, Enel Green Power North America, Inc., ITC Holdings Corp., National Electric Manufactures Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Solar Energy Industries Association, Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Wind and Solar Alliance.
“The diverse organizations supporting this bill are evidence of the growing recognition across constituencies that upgrades to the electric transmission grid will play an important role in ensuring the power system remains reliable and resilient while supporting the deployment of clean energy,” said John Jimison, Executive Director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid.
Specifically, the Interregional Transmission Planning Improvement Act of 2019 directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to open a rulemaking to consider:
- The effectiveness of the existing interregional planning process.
- Specific improvement to the process that would meet the stated goals of FERC Order No. 1000.
- Cost allocation methodologies that reflect the multiple benefits provided by interregional solutions.
The bill directs FERC to initiate the rulemaking within six months of enactment and complete a final rule within 18 months of enactment.
Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM) introduced companion legislation in the House.
“This bill is a positive first step towards addressing the urgent need to upgrade our Nation’s core electric infrastructure to meet the challenges of the 21st century. We commend Senator Heinrich for his leadership and urge Congress to support its passage,” said Nina Plaushin, Vice President of Federal Affairs at ITC Holdings Corp. and President of the ACEG Board of the Directors.
“We are pleased to see this bill introduced this week, in particular, because today is the 20th anniversary of FERC Order No. 2000,” added ACEG Director Rob Gramlich. “By improving interregional planning, it will build on the tremendous progress made over the past two decades.”
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Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG) is the only non-profit broad-based public interest advocacy coalition focused on the need to expand, integrate, and modernize the North American high-voltage grid.
ACEG brings together the diverse support for an expanded and modernized grid from business, labor, consumer and environmental groups, and other transmission supporters to support policy which recognizes the benefits of a robust transmission grid.
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