Energy Regulators Open New Path to Federal Transmission Siting

US energy regulators unanimously proposed a rule Thursday that paves the way for the federal permitting of electric transmission lines, an authority that has traditionally resided with states.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s proposed rule comes after Congress clarified federal siting authority over transmission lines in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in November 2021.

Under the law, the Energy Department can declare transmission corridors in the “national interest,” which would allow FERC to issue a permit along those routes even if a state rejects the project application.

The commission’s proposed rule would make four key changes: ...