Bridging the Transmission Gap

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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) held a briefing about the benefits of interregional transmission for the economy, climate, and grid reliability. The U.S. electric grid is undergoing unprecedented transformation, driven by rising electricity demand, the growth of renewable energy, and security threats posed by extreme weather and cyberattacks. Building more interregional transmission lines—the cables that move power across different regional grids—can bolster grid resilience and move cleaner, more affordable electricity from lower to higher-priced regions. Yet planning for interregional transmission has lagged behind regional transmission planning, and implementation gaps remain.

This briefing explored policy levers and best practices for long-term, future-proof interregional transmission planning. Panelists discussed the current state of interregional transmission, and outlined the regulatory and institutional hurdles to progress. The briefing also identified emerging policy solutions—pulling from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s 2024 regional transmission framework as a model—for lawmakers, federal regulators, and regional grid operators alike that can save ratepayers money and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.