02 Jun
June 2, 2025 (Washington, DC) – Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, in partnership with Grid Strategies and Grid United, today released a new report that highlights the benefits of interregional transmission for grid reliability and resource adequacy.
The report comes as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) policymakers and stakeholders gather this week for a two-day, commission-led technical conference meant to explore the challenges of resource adequacy in regional transmission organization and independent system operator regions.
“This report confirms what we have long known: transmission is the key to an affordable, reliable, and resilient grid,” said Christina Hayes, Executive Director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid. “This comes on the heels of recent rolling blackouts in Louisiana, underscoring the urgent need for better planning tools—like interregional transmission—to bolster grid reliability in the face of extreme weather and rising electricity demand.”
The report, titled Resource Adequacy Value of Interregional Transmission, emphasizes the critical role interregional transmission can play in supporting resource adequacy and meeting growing electricity demand reliably and cost-effectively. Because every region has diverse resource mixes and demand that peaks at different times, interregional transmission enables neighbors to share resources more efficiently, enhancing grid reliability and lowering costs for customers—especially during extreme weather events.
Despite its proven benefits, the electric industry lacks a standardized method for calculating and crediting the capacity value of interregional transmission in resource adequacy assessments. Regulators and system planners should develop consistent valuation methodologies and planning structures to incentivize investment in interregional transmission.
“The last several Summer Reliability Assessments from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, including this year’s, continue to demonstrate resource adequacy risks facing the power system given hotter summers, load growth, and an aging generation fleet,” said Dr. Adria Brooks, Director of Transmission Planning at Grid Strategies and author of the resource adequacy report. “This report demonstrates yet another benefit of interregional transmission, adding to a growing list of reliability and cost benefits. We have to stop ignoring the value of interregional transmission and instead create mechanisms to build it.”
“Interregional transmission is one of the most valuable and cost-effective tools we have to strengthen the reliability and resource adequacy of our electric grids. Yet today’s planning practices often overlook this opportunity—bypassing proven solutions, raising system costs, and increasing the risk of load shedding,” said Derek Stenclik, Founding Partner at Telos Energy and frequent author and commentator on grid reliability and resource adequacy. “We need to modernize how we value and procure transmission so it can compete fairly with other capacity resources.”
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About Americans for a Clean Energy Grid:
Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG) is a non-profit, broad-based public interest advocacy coalition focused on the need to expand, integrate, and modernize the North American high-capacity grid. ACEG brings together a diverse coalition — including business, labor, consumer, environmental groups, and other transmission supporters — to advocate for policies that recognize the benefits of a robust transmission grid.
Media Contact:
Chloe Slayter, External Affairs Manager
chloe.slayter@cleanenergygrid.org | 805-556-5344
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