Washington, D.C. — Construction of new electric transmission lines has slowed to a trickle, from an average of 1,700 miles of new high-voltage transmission miles installed per year in the first half of the 2010s to just 55 new miles in 2023, according to a new study. More transmission infrastructure is necessary to deliver an abundant energy supply to all parts of the country, as well as to ensure our electric grid can withstand the impacts of extreme weather, keep costs down for customers, and remain reliable in the face of increased energy demand. Unfortunately, the current siting and permitting process is clunky and inefficient; some lines take over a decade.

A new bipartisan bill — the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 (EPRA) — aims to accelerate the permitting process for critical energy projects such as transmission. If enacted, it would reform the existing backstop siting authority for regional transmission lines, eliminate redundant processes, and require interregional transmission planning, thus streamlining the process to plan, permit, and pay for the buildout of transmission.