Grid Action's Advocacy
Grid Action advocates for policies that will accelerate buildout of high-capacity transmission lines. Expanding the U.S. grid will improve electric reliability, lower household’s energy bills, unlock renewable resources, and create millions of good jobs. Learn more about building out high-capacity transmission here.
A transmission tax credit will supercharge investment.
A 30% investment tax credit for transmission will provide the long-term policy certainty needed to unlock new investment in our grid. The credit should apply to regionally significant transmission lines of a certain capacity and line upgrades of a certain capacity.
Siting and permitting reform will get major projects moving.
The federal government should have plenary jurisdiction to site and permit regionally significant power lines. Our current system is highly balkanized between different state and local authorities, which can slow development of regionally-beneficial projects.
Consistent community engagement is needed to build trust.
Congress should incentivize the use of community benefit agreements or revenue-sharing programs for transmission lines, so that the landowners and communities, including Tribes, impacted by a project also reap the benefits.
Transmission planning and cost allocation must reflect the wide-ranging benefits of a modern grid.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should enact policies to ensure transmission is planned in a holistic way that considers the many benefits a line will provide. FERC can also set standards to ensure regions work collaboratively with their neighbors to improve connections in the U.S. grid.
2023 Fly-in Day
Grid Action coordinated a fly-in day in September 2023, during which three dozen participants came to Washington, D.C. on behalf of environmental groups, labor, utilities, merchant developers, national security NGOs, technology companies, and customers, among others. The group collectively met with five executive branch offices and more than 40 congressional offices, including House and Senate leadership and the leadership of key committees such as the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Transmission Bills Introduced in the 118th Congress
Building American Energy Security Act of 2023 (S 1399) — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)
Building Integrated Grids with Interregional Energy Supply (BIG WIRES) Act (S 2827) (HR 5551) — Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA)
Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration (CETA) Act (HR 6747) — Reps. Sean Casten (D-IL) and Mike Levin (D-CA)
Connecting Hard-to-Reach Areas with Renewably Generated Energy (CHARGE) Act (S 2480) (HR 5154) — Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Greg Casar (D-TX)
Efficient Grid Interconnection Act of 2023 (HR 2749) — Rep. Kathy Castor
Enhancing Electric Grid Resilience Act (S 2915) (HR 2750) — Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Facilitating America’s Siting of Transmission and Electricity Reliability (FASTER) Act (S 1804) (HR 4689) — Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA)
Fiscal Responsibility Act (HR 3746) — Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
Grid Resiliency Tax Credit Act (S 1793) (HR 5803) — Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV)
Lower Energy Costs Act (S 947) (HR1) — Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) and Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)
Promoting Efficient and Engaged Reviews (PEER) Act — Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE)
Reinforcing the Grid Against Extreme Weather Act (HR 8303) — Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)
Revitalizing the Economy by Simplifying Timelines and Assuring Regulatory Transparency (RESTART) Act (S 1449) — Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
SPUR Act of 2023 (S 1456) — Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)
Streamlining Interstate Transmission of Electricity (SITE) Act (S 946) (HR 1766) — Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL)
Success Stories
Learn about recent steps Congress and the executive branch have taken to accelerate modernization of our grid.
Building a Modern Grid
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Building a Modern Grid
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