Decarboning electricity requires major expansion in transmission. At the same time, transmission has been saving the day when tens of GWs of conventional plants keep failing in severe weather situations by enabling delivery of neighboring regions’ surplus power. To expand transmission at the scale needed, changes will be needed in transmission planning, investment, siting, and funding. Although incremental more traditional investments can move forward, the expectation is that renewable energy sources must expand in new locations far from loads and traditional generation supplies. The scale of the associated expansion in transmission requires a significant change in all aspects of the process. How will large scale regional and interregional planning meet the new requirements? What conflicts will be relevant in local and national siting perspectives that may clash with the climate and clean energy goals? Who benefits from the reliability and resilience provided by large scale lines? Who should bear the costs, and how should the cost allocation interact with all the other aspects of the approval process? Are present institutions up to the task? What are the lessons about what works now, or what might need a new approach?

SPEAKERS:

Rob Gramlich, President and CEO, GridStrategies LLC

Lauren Azar, attorney, senior advisor to US DOE Secretary Chu

Case Studies

Maine:  Jared des Rosiers, Partner, Pierce Atwood LLP

Western Expansion:  Roxane Perruso, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Trans West Express LLC

MODERATOR:  Sharon Segner, Senior Vice President, LS Power