Introduction
The U.S. power grid is at a crossroads. Demand for electricity is growing at a pace we haven’t seen in decades, driven by the electrification of transportation, heating, and industrial processes, as well as the rapid expansion of AI-driven data centers. According to a July 2025 report sponsored by the Clean Air Task Force from The Brattle Group, Optimizing Grid Infrastructure and Proactive Planning to Support Load Growth and Public Policy Goals, the U.S. electric supply must expand five times faster than it has over the past two decades to meet the coming wave of demand.
This isn’t just a technical challenge – it’s a generational one. We must find ways to deliver more power, faster, and more cost-effectively, without compromising reliability, environmental goals, or affordability for existing customers. Brattle’s report lays out a roadmap of smart, practical solutions, and their insights couldn’t come at a better time.
At CTC Global, we want to thank the Clean Air Task Force and the Brattle Group for their leadership in calling attention to the need for “grid optimization first” – a principle we’ve championed for years. We also want to recognize the many progressive utilities, transmission planners, regulators, and policymakers who are stepping up to rethink how we use and modernize our transmission systems. Their willingness to embrace advanced technologies is making it possible to build a smarter, stronger grid without the decade-long delays of traditional greenfield projects.
A Perfect Storm of Load Growth and Grid Stress
The Brattle report points to a series of converging forces that are placing unprecedented pressure on the grid:
- AI and data centers: Hyperscale data centers – each requiring hundreds of megawatts – are growing faster than any other load category.
- Electrification: The push to electrify transportation and building heating is accelerating.
- Re-shored manufacturing: U.S. industrial activity is expanding as supply chains are brought closer to home.
Meeting this demand with the existing transmission infrastructure is like trying to squeeze a river through a garden hose. Transmission planning cycles are notoriously long, often taking 8–10 years to plan, permit, and build new lines. But these new loads are coming online in just 2–4 years. Without bold action, bottlenecks will delay economic development and undermine clean energy goals.
Adding to the challenge is the fact that much of our grid is 50 years old or more, operating close to the end of its designed lifespan. Brattle highlights that the grid will need significant refurbishment in the coming decade. If we do nothing, this aging infrastructure will become a weak link in our ability to deliver the power we need.
Brattle’s Solution: Optimize Before You Expand
One of the Brattle report’s strongest messages is that we don’t need to wait for new transmission lines to solve our capacity crunch. We can unlock enormous value from the grid we already have by deploying Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) and high-performance conductors (HPCs).
Brattle outlines a “loading order” approach:
- Optimize existing lines first – with dynamic line ratings (DLR), topology optimization, and advanced conductors like CTC Global’s ACCC® Conductor.
- Upsize and refurbish existing corridors – replace aging wires with modern conductors that can carry 2x or more capacity on the same structures.
- Build new lines only where necessary, to reach areas with no existing right-of-way or interconnections.
This approach mirrors the NOVA principle used in Germany: “Optimize first, strengthen second, expand third.” It’s faster, cheaper, and more sustainable.
Advanced Conductors: The Low-Hanging Fruit
The Brattle report specifically calls out high-performance conductors as a powerful, near-term solution. By reconductoring existing lines with ACCC® Conductor, utilities can double line capacity without building new towers, drastically reduce thermal sag, and cut line losses.
This isn’t theory – it’s proven by more than 300 utilities in 65+ countries. Southern California Edison (SCE) recently upgraded 137 miles of its Big Creek transmission corridor with ACCC® Conductor. The results were remarkable:
- 40% increase in transmission capacity.
- $50,000 saved per tower by reusing existing structures.
- Construction time reduced from 48 months to just 18 months.
These are exactly the kind of results the Brattle report emphasizes – faster deployment and lower costs compared to greenfield projects, all while improving reliability and wildfire safety.
Another example comes from American Electric Power (AEP), which successfully reconductored 240 miles of line in an energized state using ACCC® Conductor. This eliminated the need for costly outages while delivering a significant capacity boost. In that case line loss reduction saved 300,000 MWh per year which freed up 34 MW of generation capacity otherwise wasted. In 2016 when that project was completed, line loss reductions also reduced CO2 emissions by an estimated 200,000 Metric tons per year – the equivalent of removing 42,000 cars from the road.
Faster, Smarter, Safer
Why do utilities choose ACCC® Conductor? The answer is simple: performance and reliability.
- High capacity: The composite core allows the conductor to operate at up to 180°C with minimal sag – far higher than conventional ACSR conductors.
- Reduced line losses: Th ACCC® Conductor’s efficiency can cut electrical losses by 25–40%, saving utilities and consumers millions over the life of a line.
- Wildfire risk reduction: Low thermal sag keeps lines safely away from vegetation, helping utilities in wildfire-prone regions meet stringent safety goals.
- Speed: Reconductoring with ACCC® Conductor can often be completed in months instead of years, sidestepping the time-consuming permitting battles of new line construction.
This is why legislators and regulators in states like California, Virginia, Montana, and Minnesota are enacting policies that require utilities to consider advanced conductors in their planning processes. Brattle highlights these forward-thinking initiatives as models for other states.
A Call for Policy and Planning Alignment
Brattle also calls on transmission planners, regulators, and policymakers to embrace a more proactive, flexible planning model. Rather than reacting to load growth after it’s already overwhelming the system, we must anticipate demand – especially from data centers – and plan capacity upgrades ahead of time.
The good news? Many utilities and regulators are already moving in this direction. California’s SB 1006 and Montana’s HB 729, for instance, encourage utilities to deploy advanced conductors and GETs as part of standard transmission upgrades. Virginia’s HB 862 requires utilities to evaluate advanced conductors in integrated resource plans. These policies help ensure that grid investments deliver maximum capacity and efficiency for every dollar spent.
We applaud these efforts – and we agree with Brattle’s conclusion that utilities should treat every refurbishment of aging infrastructure as a strategic opportunity to upsize. With much of the U.S. transmission network built in the 1960s and 70s, the next decade offers a once-in-a-generation chance to rebuild the grid smarter.
AI and Data Centers: The “New Peak Load”
No conversation about grid modernization would be complete without mentioning the energy demands of AI and hyperscale computing. Brattle’s report warns that data centers are poised to become one of the largest single categories of new load, often requiring 100–300 MW per site.
These facilities don’t have the luxury of waiting 10 years for a new transmission line. They need power fast. This is where advanced conductors like ACCC® shine. By unlocking existing rights-of-way and adding massive capacity with minimal permitting hurdles, ACCC® Conductor helps utilities meet these urgent demands without sacrificing reliability for everyone else.
We believe that supporting this new wave of digital infrastructure doesn’t have to come at the expense of clean energy or affordability. By reducing line losses and enabling more renewable integration, ACCC® Conductor helps data centers meet their sustainability goals while keeping costs down for other customers.
The Brattle Group’s Leadership
We owe a debt of gratitude to The Brattle Group for producing a report that goes beyond diagnosing the problem. Their recommendations are actionable and grounded in real-world case studies. They highlight solutions – like reconductoring with advanced conductors – that are available right now, not just in some distant future.
Brattle’s emphasis on collaboration between regulators, utilities, and technology providers resonates strongly with us. At CTC Global, we’ve built our reputation by partnering with utilities, engineers, and policymakers to solve the exact challenges this report describes.
Thanking the Innovators
We also want to thank the utilities that are leading the charge. Companies like Southern California Edison, American Electric Power, National Grid, and others have proven that advanced conductors can deliver big wins in capacity, cost savings, and reliability. Their pioneering efforts pave the way for the rest of the industry.
Equally important are the state energy offices, legislators, and regulators who are creating the policy frameworks that encourage innovation rather than delay it. From California to Minnesota, we’re seeing how strong policy signals can accelerate the adoption of proven technologies like ACCC®.
A Smarter Grid is Within Reach
The Brattle report makes one thing clear: We don’t have time to wait. The challenges of load growth, aging infrastructure, and clean energy integration require immediate action. But the good news is that the solutions are here – and they’re scalable.
Advanced conductors like ACCC® Conductor are not a niche option. They are a mainstream, high-impact tool that utilities can deploy today to:
- Double line capacity without new towers or rights-of-way.
- Reduce line losses and emissions.
- Enhance grid reliability and wildfire safety.
- Meet new load growth – especially from AI and electrification – quickly and cost-effectively.
For more information please reach out to CTC Global at info(at)ctcglobal.com
