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."
UPDATE: Interim chair of key federal regulator of energy, power infrastructure is named Jan. 3, but agency still has a 2-2 partisan split that could hamper project decisions until new Senate hearings confirm a permanent leader.
Agency action sets stage for removal work to begin next year by Kiewit Infrastructure West, in effort to restore water quality and ailing salmon population.
Princeton report sees 2.3% annual capacity growth compared to current 1% to link growing clean energy resources, but unclear permit reforms and project approval authority are key hurdles; DOE seeks input in using Defense Production Act authority to boost component manufacture and supply.
Midcontinent Independent System Operator, operating in 15 states, will bid 18 new transmission projects to connect 56 GW of clean power and add weather hardening.
In a bipartisan approval April 21 of a proposed framework to plan and pay for new and upgraded US grid capacity to link booming clean power projects, the federal energy regulator aims to involve states up front and expand infrastructure planning to a 20-year-ahead cycle.
As the Biden administration ramps up efforts to include consideration of project greenhouse gas emissions impacts in policymaking, court developments and a March 24 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission action show a fluctuating path toward final carbon effect rules.
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