24 Apr
Monday, April 24 (Washington D.C.) — Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG) has unveiled its legislative principles, which outline four of the most important ways that Congress can spur essential grid expansion and modernization.
Most of the nation’s transmission infrastructure has reached or exceeded its intended lifespan, but currently new lines can take more than a decade to build. Expanding transmission is essential to improve electric reliability, enhance American energy security, connect clean energy resources to the grid, and reduce household energy costs. Multiple studies have found the U.S. must at least double the pace of transmission buildout to achieve its clean energy goals.
To accelerate this vital development, ACEG recommends that Congress:
- Enact permitting reform that establishes a single federal siting authority for clearly designated high-capacity transmission lines — and sets reasonable and efficient deadlines for the permitting process, paired with extensive community outreach in the early stages of project development.
- Establish a 30% investment tax credit for regionally significant lines of a certain size.
- Support those impacted by transmission projects by requiring that federal funding be made available to communities so they can participate in the transmission siting and development process.
- Require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to finalize policies that:
- Establish a minimum level of electric transfer capability between regions;
- Require all regions to develop forward-looking interregional transmission plans and cost allocation methods to account for expected energy needs 20 years in the future.
ACEG will also host a webinar tomorrow, Tuesday, April 25 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss this broad range of solutions. The event will feature speakers from the diverse groups that are committed to improving the grid, including transmission developer Invenergy, solar and storage developer Pine Gate Renewables, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
View the full legislative principles here. Register here for tomorrow’s webinar.
###
About ACEG:
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 the diverse support for an expanded and modernized grid from business, labor, consumer, environmental groups, and other transmission supporters to support policy that recognizes the benefits of a robust transmission grid.
Media Contact:
Hannah Schuster, Communications Associate
hannah@dgardiner.com | 703.298.2339 (c)
