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The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Monday approved two new rules expected to make it easier to expand the construction of large transmission lines and bring more renewable energy to American homes and businesses.
A rule would require companies to produce and transmit electricity to balance supply and demand, among other factors, for at least 20 years; the other involves permits for critical projects in areas lacking adequate transmission capacity.
Long-term planning needs to consider the impact of extreme weather related to climate change and the cost of planning, with the goal of making the U.S. power grid more resilient to more frequent climate-induced extreme weather events.
Rob Gramlich, president of power consulting firm Grid Strategies, said the rule requiring long-term planning is “the single largest action the federal government has taken to advance transmission.” wall street journal.
FERC’s lone Republican commissioner voted against the long-range planning rule, saying it was unfair to consumers and overstepped the government’s authority.
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