As the United States moves towards a more electrified clean energy future, the need for transmission infrastructure enhancement and expansion is paramount. The combination of an aging grid, increasing electricity demand, increased frequency of extreme weather events, the need to connect renewable energy resources with demand, and the push toward electrification of both buildings and transportation are contributing to the growing need for transmission improvements and expansion. Transmission planning can take various forms: planning for transmission expansion and building of new transmission lines, increasing the efficiency, resilience, and capacity of existing transmission lines, as well as deferring transmission needs through non-wires alternatives.  State Energy Offices can play a wide spectrum of roles in transmission planning, either directly or indirectly, from developing policy goals, engaging in state-level energy planning, conducting modeling and analyses, and convening relevant stakeholders.

Coming soon.

NEW: Technical Assistance Available on FERC Order No. 1920 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) has announced additional technical assistance (TA) available to states to help them engage in transmission planning activities, including the new long-term regional transmission planning processes being developed in response to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Order No. 1920. FERC Order No. 1920 requires regional transmission planning entities to conduct long-term and more comprehensive regional transmission planning and expands the role of state entities in informing the processes and determining how the costs of new transmission facilities will be allocated to customers.

Three levels of TA are being offered. Both Help Desk and Expert Match requests will be accepted on a rolling basis, and successful applicants will begin receiving support approximately one month after the application is processed. Deep Dive TA requests will be accepted semi-annually, and successful applicants will begin receiving support approximately three months after the application is processed. The application deadline for the initial Deep Dive TA cycle is December 31, 2024.

States are encouraged to contact GDO at transmission@hq.doe.gov if they have questions about how TA offerings can be tailored to meet their needs, as GDO seeks to accommodate a variety of activities related to transmission planning and FERC Order No. 1920.

Other Resources

U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office: Enhanced Transmission Planning

U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office: Offshore Wind Transmission Federal Planning and Support

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission