FERC Official Pushing to Strengthen Power Grid Planning Rule

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should require power grid planners to consider some benefits of building transmission lines as they work to finalize a closely watched power grid rule, Commissioner Allison Clements (D) said Thursday.

The commission’s proposed rule on regional transmission planning suggested a set of benefits that regions and utilities may consider in long-term planning. The proposed rule listed 12 potential benefits, including avoided or deferred projects, increased competition, mitigation of extreme weather, and reduced congestion on the power grid.

“I see a lot of support in the record for requiring consideration of some subset of benefits,” Clements ...