Midwest Grid Expansion Needed to Meet Climate Goals, Report Says

A push for 100% clean power by 2050 in the Midwest requires scaling up interstate electric transmission capacity to meet demand, a new study by energy analysts and environmental groups says.

The study—whose most ambitious scenario called for six gigawatts of additional transmission capacity each with Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa by 2050—back federal efforts to streamline the permitting and planning of major power grid upgrades necessary to connect more renewable energy.

“Expanding transmission to neighboring states increases Wisconsin’s access to a diverse set of energy resources, providing increased reliability benefits that allow utilities to more cost-effectively meet customer demand,” ...