Washington, D.C. — U.S. electricity demand has grown at an average rate of 1% annually for the past 20 years.  However, with the rise of electrification and artificial intelligence, among other advancements, demand is expected to increase by 4.7% over the next five years. Expanding transmission capacity is crucial to the future of the U.S. economy. Without proactive planning processes, we will be unable to deliver electricity to load — undermining economic growth and decreasing U.S. competitiveness.