Development of new transmission is essential to prepare for the deployment of large amounts of clean energy resources onto the grid. State and federal utility regulators are tasked with addressing issues on how to plan and pay for new transmission development and navigating related jurisdictional issues. For this reason, NARUC is preparing increased opportunities for collaboration and cooperation between state utility commissions, subject matter experts, impacted stakeholders, and federal regulators to identify barriers to and opportunities for transmission expansion.
NARUC facilitates the Transmission State Working Group to support commissioners and commission staff in exploring state commission role and influence on transmission development and evaluation. The working group is open to all NARUC members. For more information, or to join the working group, contact Deborah Reynolds.
In June 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) established the Joint Federal State Task Force on Electric Transmission with NARUC to facilitate cooperation and the exchange of perspectives with states on transmission-related issues. The first meeting was held in November 2021; the last meeting was held in February 2024. Members of the Task Force consist of all five FERC commissioners and ten state commissioners, with two state task force members representing each NARUC region.
NARUC Transmission Resources
- Collaborative Enhancements to Unlock Interregional Transmission, June 2024
The objective of this report is to confront the barriers to interregional transmission that exist today and address them with potential reforms and collaborative solutions. This report identifies solutions with the potential for immediate beneficial impact on interregional transmission with the ultimate goal of allowing more effective identification and advancement of interregional transmission projects that create the most positive net value to the participating systems. It distinguishes between states, federal government, and system operators as key actors in implementing solutions designed to be flexible to accommodate regional differences.
- On June 27, 2024, an informational webinar to provide an overview of the report was hosted by NARUC and E3. View the webinar presentation and recording.
Transmission Resource Library
- NARUC has developed a list of resources divided into key topic areas to enable further learning on energy transmission challenges, potential solutions, and technologies. The links included are provided to share relevant resources but are not endorsed by NARUC or its members. Explore the Transmission Resource Library.
Transmission State Working Group Meetings
- Interregional Transmission: During the June 26, 2024 meeting, working group members listened to a presentation outlining the solutions to improve interregional transmission planning and permitting.
- Interconnection: During the April 10, 2024 meeting, working group members listened to a presentation outlining the challenges to current interconnection queue processes and potential solutions to address these challenges as well as an overview of recent implementation plans from RTOs and utilities under FERC Order 2023. The group then engaged in a discussion on interconnection queue processes within their state and concerns around the implementation of FERC Order 2023.
Joint Federal State Task Force on Electric Transmission Meetings
- Eighth Meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission: Transmission Siting, February 28, 2024
- Seventh Meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission: Grid Enhancing Technologies, July 16, 2023
- Sixth Meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission: Physical Security of the Transmission System, February 15, 2023
- Fifth Meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission: Addressing Regulatory Gaps/Challenges in Oversight of Transmission Development, November 15, 2022
- Fourth Meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission: Interregional Transmission Planning, July 20, 2022
- Third Meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission: Generator Interconnection, May 6, 2022
- Second Meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission: Transmission Benefits and Cost Allocation Principles, February 16, 2022
- First Meeting of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission: Regional Transmission Planning, November 10, 2021
Other Activities
- Webinar: Storage as a Transmission Asset, NARUC, May 1, 2023 (see recording and presentation)
- Webinar: Approaches to Maximizing Existing Transmission Capacity, NCEP, August 3, 2021 (see recording and presentation)
Funder:
NARUC is grateful to the U.S. Department of Energy Grid Deployment Office for funding to support state utility regulators in these efforts.
Transmission State Working Group Participants:
- California Public Utilities Commission
- Colorado Public Utilities Commission
- Georgia Public Service Commission
- Illinois Commerce Commission
- Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
- Iowa Utilities Board
- Kansas Corporation Commission
- Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
- New York Public Service Commission
- North Carolina Utilities Commission
- Oklahoma Corporation Commission
- Oregon Public Utility Commission