State Lawmakers Urge Against Pausing Transmission Competition

More than 40 state legislators from Iowa, Kansas, and Montana urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reject utilities’ proposed five-year moratorium on transmission competition in two major regions.

The legislators’ letters claim the proposal—made by 12 utilities in April—would raise electricity prices in the regions operated by Southwest Power Pool and Midcontinent Independent System Operator. Those two regional transmission organizations cover more than a dozen states across the Midwest and South.

“On behalf of consumers nationwide, we applaud these State legislators from three states that have made it clear that they support transmission competition because it reduces costs ...