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Dive Brief:
A set of 13 “high value” inter- and intraregional transmission projects in the Eastern Interconnection could produce up to $15.3 billion in net system value through 2050, according to a study released Tuesday.
Also, the transmission projects would lower retail electricity rates, enhance system reliability and improve resilience to extreme weather events, according to Powering Growth and Affordability: The Role of Transmission in Economic and National Security, which was prepared by S&P Global’s CERA Consulting for the Electricity Customer Alliance, National Grid and Converge Strategies.
Compared with other analysis, the study offers a customer-centric look at transmission expansion, according to Jeff Dennis, ECA executive director. “Customers need more transmission capacity,” Dennis said in an interview. “But they're in this conundrum because they see transmission costs going up. A lot of that is things like supplemental projects in [the PJM Interconnection] and local builds in other regions, and so this study really does show how we can start to address that by refocusing our attention on the [transmission] that provides the most net benefits.”
