The electricity grid is the backbone of our economy, powering everything from homes to industries, schools to hospitals, and everything in between. But as electricity demand continues to rise, the aging transmission system is under increasing strain. This has led to congestion, inefficiencies, and delays in connecting new renewable energy sources to the grid. To address these challenges, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) has passed a resolution supporting the integration of Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs) into the U.S. electricity transmission system.
This resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Doug Scott, was officially adopted by the NARUC Board of Directors at their 2024 Annual Meeting and Education Conference in Anaheim, California. It urges Congress to appropriate sufficient funds to support utilities, Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), Independent System Operators (ISOs), and states in deploying cutting-edge technologies that can unlock transmission capacity, reduce costs, and improve grid resilience.
Why Is This Resolution Important?
In recent years, the U.S. has seen rapid growth in electricity demand. According to the 2023 Long-Term Reliability Assessment from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), peak demand for electricity is projected to increase by 9.19% over the next decade. At the same time, transmission congestion costs have more than doubled since 2016, and a significant backlog of generation and storage projects—over 2,000 gigawatts worth—is waiting to connect to the grid, with approval times increasing from less than two years in 2008 to over five years in 2022.
The situation is further compounded by the findings of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Transmission Needs study, which highlights the urgent need to expand regional transmission capacity by 20-128% and interregional capacity by 25-412% by 2035 to keep pace with demand. This expansion is critical to ensuring the continued reliability and affordability of electricity, as the U.S. economy depends on 24/7, low-cost, reliable electricity to stay competitive in global markets.
What Are Advanced Transmission Technologies?
Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs) refer to a suite of innovations designed to enhance the performance, capacity, and flexibility of the electricity grid. Some of the most promising of these technologies include:
Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs): These include advanced power flow controls, dynamic line ratings, and topology optimization. These technologies enable more efficient use of existing transmission infrastructure by improving the way electricity flows across the grid.
High-Performance Conductors (HPCs): These include new materials, such as carbon and composite core conductors – including CTC Global’s ACCC® Conductor – and superconductors, which offer much higher capacity than traditional conductors, enabling the grid to carry more power without the need to build new transmission lines.The Benefits of ATTs for Consumers and the Grid
The 2024 DOE Innovative Grid Technology Liftoff Report provides compelling evidence of the value of ATTs. According to the report, GETs can increase the utilization of new and existing transmission lines by 16% or more, reduce congestion by 50% or more, and save over $5 billion annually in production cost savings. Additionally, reconductoring with HPCs could double the capacity of existing transmission lines at approximately half the cost of building new lines. These technologies have been deployed successfully in other countries and are commercially available, making them viable solutions for addressing the U.S. grid’s challenges.
The resolution emphasizes that by adopting these technologies on a national scale, the U.S. could meet the NERC 10-year peak load growth projections and significantly enhance grid resilience and efficiency, without the need for costly and time-consuming new transmission infrastructure.
The Path Forward
To accelerate the adoption of ATTs, the resolution calls for federal funding to support the deployment of these technologies, particularly through programs such as the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program. This funding would provide critical support to utilities, RTOs, ISOs, and states for the deployment, technical assistance, and research necessary to integrate ATTs into the grid.
Additionally, state regulators are encouraged to investigate and evaluate the technical potential and benefits of ATTs for their ratepayers. By exploring the holistic deployment of GETs and HPCs across their systems, regulators can help ensure that consumers benefit from the cost savings and improved grid reliability that these technologies offer.
The resolution also highlights the importance of ensuring that funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—which is set to expire in 2025—is followed by continued investments in grid modernization. This will help ensure that the U.S. is well-positioned to meet future energy demands and achieve a more resilient, sustainable, and cost-effective electricity grid.
Conclusion
The passing of this resolution marks a crucial step toward modernizing the U.S. electricity transmission system and preparing it for the future. By embracing Advanced Transmission Technologies, the U.S. can reduce transmission congestion, unlock new capacity, lower electricity costs for consumers, and accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
As we move forward, it is essential that all stakeholders—federal and state governments, utilities, regulators, and the private sector—work together to deploy these innovative technologies and ensure that the U.S. grid remains reliable, affordable, and resilient in the face of growing demand. The time to act is now, and with the support of the new resolution, the path to a modernized grid is clearer than ever.
