WIRES News
An Update on Transmission Law and Policy from WIRES
Third Quarter 2017
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NEW WIRES REPORT DEBUNKS MYTHS ABOUT TRANSMISSION INVESTMENT
Investment in transmission infrastructure will be key to our ability to adapt to a dynamic, changing, and increasingly electrified economy in North America. Despite recognizable new drivers for transmission investment, there lingers an inability to distinguish fact from fiction with respect to the benefits that a robust grid would provide. Recognition of those benefits in the process of planning transmission projects and allocating transmission costs would help make regulation of this key infrastructure
more efficient and reduce the amount of time that private capital is tied up in administrative processes - which currently is three times the time required to permit a natural gas pipeline.
A new study by London Economics on behalf of WIRES debunks myths based on old ideas and misconceptions with real world examples. It also provides state and federal authorities and system planners with analytical tools and adjustments to current evaluation approaches in order to recognize the multi-dimensional value of transmission investment.
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WOMEN EXECUTIVES ON THEIR LEADERSHIP STYLE IN THE TRANSMISSION BIZ
If you think electric transmission policy and grid infrastructure or operations are still male domains, think again. We asked several women leaders at WIRES member firms to give us their special perspectives on their careers and their industry. Our responders (in alphabetical order) are:
- Lisa Barton, Executive Vice President, AEP Transmission, President & Chief Operating Officer, AEP Transmission Holding Company
- Teresa Mogensen, Senior Vice President, Transmission, Xcel Energy, President, Xcel Energy Transco
- Priti Patel, Vice President & Chief Transmission Officer, Great River Energy
- Nina Plaushin, Vice President, Regulatory, Federal Affairs and Communications, ITC
- Kathy Shea, President of Transmission, Eversource
- Geisha Williams, CEO & President, PG&E Corporation
We posed three questions to these executives:
- What are the biggest challenges facing the modern electric power business that you, as a person who can engineer change, relish tackling?
- What opportunities to rise as professionals, managers and executives does the electric power industry, and the transmission sector in particular, offer women?
- How do you see the operations and regulation of the electric grid evolving in the next few decades, based on your company's priorities and developments in your region and the economy generally?
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DOE's NEW ENERGY STUDY WORRIES ABOUT RELIABILITY BUT RECOGNIZES TRANSMISSION'S VALUE
In a widely anticipated report on the reliability of the electricity system and the potential loss of baseload generation, DOE issued its concerns about how intermittent resources will be integrated into the grid. But in an important sidelight, DOE's professional staff reported to Secretary Perry that transmission's role is key in providing cheap power to reach customers, just like the interstate highway system allows the most efficient producers and retailers to get their products to market. In short, the report alluded to the fact that more transmission can make more electricity more reliable and save consumers money:
"Transmission investments provide an array of benefits that include providing reliable electricity service to customers, relieving congestion, facilitating robust wholesale market competition, enabling a diverse and changing energy portfolio, and mitigating damage and limiting customer outages (resilience) during adverse conditions. Well-planned transmission investments also reduce total costs... A robust transmission system is needed to provide the flexibility that will enable the modern electric system to operate. Although much transmission has been built to enhance reliability and meet customer needs, continued investment and development will be needed to provide that flexibility." (p. 75)
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KEEPING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FRONT AND CENTER
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FERC BACK AT FULL STRENGTH AFTER 7 MONTHS
After an unprecedented seven month absence of a quorum, two new commissioners were confirmed in August to join Acting Chairman Cheryl LaFleur. Senate energy advisor Neil Chatterjee and former Pennsylvania public service commissioner Robert
Powelson were both confirmed by the Senate on August 4th and sworn in shortly thereafter. Trump selected Chatterjee to lead the commission, replacing LaFleur until his top pick, Kevin McIntyre, is confirmed. McIntyre and the final potential commissioner, Democratic senate aide Richard Glick, were voted out of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources committee on September 19th, and are expected to be confirmed quickly by the full Senate.
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IF YOU NEED, OWN OR DEPEND ON ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION - YOU SHOULD JOIN WIRES!
WI
RES is the transmission industry's voice on key public policy issues at all levels of government. During this time of change and challenge in Washington and across the country, your support for WIRES - and participation in its educational and advocacy programs - are essential to building America's electrical grid to meet both current and emerging challenges.
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