Work to add higher-voltage capacity and 10,000 miles of new lines faces key issues in siting, cost allocation and regulatory tension, says transmission sector consultant Grid Strategies in Sept. 13 report.
But Biden, legislators punt on broad transmission expansion in deadline-pushed debt ceiling compromise bill that is set for House and Senate votes this week.
North Plains Connector from South Dakota to Montana would enable shared power and more system reliability for large US grids, but transmission experts decry big gaps in "planning, permitting and paying."
Referendum halting $1-billion, 145-mile transmission line to connect Canadian hydropower to Massachusetts’ power grid did not nullify state land leases in its corridor, court said.
Industry jobs tied to electric power generation; transmission, storage and distribution; and energy efficiency grew in 2021, but report data does not reflect impacts of more current sector events.
Large scale voltage lines move ahead in federal reviews, as utilities seek to link more onshore wind and other renewable energy in their changing power source mix.
