North America | September 26, 2024

Is It Innovation, Common Sense, or Both? Addressing U.S. Transmission Infrastructure Challenges

While innovative technologies play a crucial role in modernising infrastructure, there is also a pressing need for practical solutions that streamline regulatory processes.

 

The demand for electricity in the U.S. is rising sharply, yet the transmission infrastructure struggles to keep pace. This past summer set records for peak power demand and subsequent power prices, but there were no corresponding advancements in expanding the transmission network. While technology has helped manage current challenges, there remains a fundamental need for more physical infrastructure—essentially, “more wire in the air.”

The Need for Enhanced Infrastructure

As the era of flat power demand ends, utilities face a new reality where load growth forecasts vary significantly, ranging from 2-3% to as high as 5-6% annually. This unpredictability complicates planning and resource allocation. Additionally, nearly 12,000 renewable generation and storage projects are currently stuck in interconnection queues, unable to connect to the grid due to capacity limitations.

Innovative Solutions Required

Traditional methods for expanding transmission lines are slow and cumbersome, often taking about ten years to complete even without complications. Projects that cross state lines face even more challenges due to regulatory hurdles and inter-state cooperation issues. To address these bottlenecks, a promising approach involves establishing “priority transmission corridors.” This strategy combines common sense with innovation by identifying specific rights-of-way (ROW) that can be pre-approved for expedited development.

Regulatory Support and Initiatives

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recognised the urgent need for enhanced transmission infrastructure across North America. Their October 2023 “National Transmission Needs Study” highlighted that insufficient transmission capacity is driving up electricity prices and harming grid resilience. In response, the DOE proposed a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) designation process aimed at facilitating critical transmission pathways.

FERC‘s recent Orders 1920 and 2023 are also significant steps toward improving regional and interregional planning processes. These orders aim to streamline long-term transmission planning and tackle the backlog of renewable projects awaiting interconnection.

Case Studies: Successful Projects

Two notable projects currently under development are the RioSol Transmission and SunZia Transmission lines, which will operate in parallel within the same corridor. The SunZia project will use high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology to transport wind-generated electricity from New Mexico to Arizona. In contrast, RioSol will utilise high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) technology, allowing for easier interconnections with local utilities along its route.

Similarly, Invenergy Transmission’s Grain Belt Express project aims to transport 5,000 MW of clean energy from Kansas to Indiana using advanced HVDC technology.

Source: T&D World