Industry News & Publications
Investment in new electric transmission lines has been lagging since the restructuring of the electric industry. New England has done better than many parts of the country in building new electric lines needed for the reliable operation of the grid, but it is broadly recognized that more investment is needed in order to make up for years of underinvestment. Meanwhile, states continue to pass legislation calling for greater use of electricity from renewable energy sources.
The intent of this section is to bring a broader perspective on the need for new transmission infrastructure investment and particularly the need for transmission that provides grid access for renewable energy resources, which by their nature are typically located in places away from where the largest demand for electricity is located. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has referred to wind, biomass, geothermal and other renewable resources as "locational constrained resources" and has supported public policy that removes some of the financial uncertainty of constructing new transmission lines to these resource areas.
- FERC Filing: NEITC/ISO-NE Operating Agreement.
NEITC/ISO-NE Operating Agreement FERC Filing. January 22, 2010. (PDF, 398K) - White Paper: Anbaric Transmission.
"Integrating 200,000 MWs of Renewable Energy Into the US Power Grid: A Practical Proposal", February 2009.(PDF, 408K) - Report: Energy Security Analysis, Inc. (ESAI).
"Assessing the Renewable Energy Challenge in New England & Massachusetts: A Study of the Renewable Energy Supply and Demand Outlook Through 2020", November 2008.(PDF, 2.7MB) - Press Release: North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
"Climate Policy Critical to Grid Reliability", November 2008.(PDF, 132K) - Special Report: North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
"Electric Industry Concerns on the Reliability Impacts of Climate Change Initiatives", November 2008. (PDF, 1.8MB) - News Article: New York Times reporter Matthew Wald highlights inadequacies in the electric grid in moving renewable energy to market.
"Wind Energy Bumps Into Power Grid's Limits", New York Times, August 27, 2008. (PDF, 100K) - Press Release: Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signs the Green Communities Act emphasizing energy efficiency and setting a state goal to obtain 25% of its energy from renewable resources by 2030.
"Governor Patrick Signs Energy Bill Promoting Cost Savings, Renewable and Clean Energy Technology", released July 2, 2008.(PDF, 29K) - Press Release: Maine Governor John Baldacci signs Wind Power Legislation to implement the recommendations of the Wind Power Task Force, including the development of 3,000MW of wind projects by 2020.
"Governor Signs Wind Power Legislation", released April 18, 2008. (PDF, 155k) - White Paper: Edward Krapels' report on the need to develop an electric "superhighway" to enable renewable energy projects that combat climate change.
"A National Electrical Superhighway: How Extra-high Voltage Transmission Can Enable National Energy Security and Environmental Goals", April 2008.(PDF, 1.9MB) - Report: Maine Wind Study Points to 3,000 MWs of Wind Development Potential in State, Final Report, February 2008.
"Report of the Governor's Task Force on Wind Power Development: Finding Common Ground for a Common Purpose". (PDF, 1.7MB) - Presentation: Gordon van Wiley, CEO of ISO-NE, remarks to the NARUC Winter Committee Meeting and 2008 National Electricity Delivery Forum, February 21, 2008.
"Regional System Planning Spurs Major Investment in New England's Transmission System, ISO-NE to Conduct Studies that Evaluate the Economics of Additional Transmission Expansion". (PDF, 64K) - PowerPoint Presentation: Johannes Pfeifenberger, The Brattle Group, presented to WIRES, the Working group for Investment in Reliable and Economic electric Systems, Washington, D.C., February 14, 2008.
"Assessing the Benefits of Transmission Investments." (PDF, 292K) - Report: The New England Energy Alliance Massachusetts Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance cite need for more transmission in New England, December 2007.
"Electricity Transmission Infrastructure Development in New England – Value Through Reliability, Economic and Environmental Benefits". (PDF, 176K) - White Paper: Prepared by the Blue Ribbon Panel on Cost Allocation for WIRES, the Working Group for Investment in Reliable and Economic electric Systems, September 2007.
"A National Perspective on Allocating the Costs of New Transmission Investment: Practice and Principles." (PDF, 2.7MB) - FERC Order: Removing Barriers to Renewable Energy Development in California, Docket No. EL07-33-000 – "..conceptual approval of a financing mechanism for the construction of interconnection facilities to connect location constrained resources in the CAISO Grid." Order Granting Petition for Declaratory Order Issued April 19, 2007.(PDF, 271KB)
- Report: New England Energy Infrastructure – Adequacy Assessment and Policy Review, Prepared by the Analysis Group for the New England Energy Alliance, November 2005.
"New England Energy Infrastructure – Adequacy Assessment and Policy Review". (PDF, 476K)