Senators Markey, Welch, Van Hollen Announce Legislation to Better Plan for Cheaper and Cleaner Electricity

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Washington (November 22, 2024) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety, along with Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), today announced the introduction of the Office of Transmission Act, legislation that would establish an Office of Transmission housed at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This office would provide centralized independent review, analysis, and technical expertise by examining transmission plans and outcomes and identifying efficient and cost-effective transmission solutions in each the Transmission Planning Region recognized by FERC. This will benefit households, stakeholders, and States by enabling a more coordinated, open, transparent, and regionally comparable transmission planning process, which can help prevent unnecessarily high energy bills.

"Inefficient transmission investments are one reason why electricity costs are too high, why the grid struggles in extreme weather, and why we don't have more renewable-powered electricity," said Senator Markey. "With U.S. electricity prices rising fast, my legislation would ensure that smart, independent experts are reviewing transmission plans and providing recommendations. Americans would be better off with more efficient and cost-effective transmission."

"We are at a critical crossroads in our efforts to achieve a clean energy transition. Taking decisive action to strengthen our power grid and improve transmission planning is critical to staving off the worst impacts of climate change," said Senator Welch. "Our bill will strengthen our transmission grid and accelerate the deployment of clean energy in Vermont and across the country."

"Too many Americans face increased energy costs that impact their family budgets significantly due to costs passed on by utilities. An Office of Transmission will act as a watchdog for Americans by ensuring investments in new transmission are cost-effective and result in a more reliable electric grid - preventing private transmission companies from creating unnecessary costs for customers," said Senator Van Hollen.

Specifically, the Office will be tasked with:

1. Reviewing transmission plans and outcomes in each Transmission Planning Region. While regional planning has been the focus of recent FERC reform, there is still significant room for improvement, and decisions on local projects often receive no comprehensive review.
2. Identifying inefficiencies in transmission planning and outcomes, including those that lead to unnecessarily high electricity costs, compromise functionality during extreme weather and wildfires, and delay integration of new energy on the grid.
3. Identifying ways those inefficiencies could be addressed, including by improved data, forward-looking planning, advanced transmission technologies, additional transmission facilities, distributed renewable energy resources, weatherization and energy efficiency, and demand-response technologies.
4. Tracking estimated and actual project costs, and verifying the commitments made by transmission owners in their proposals for transmission investments, and the actual benefits of those transmission investments, including from local projects to replace transmission assets at the end of their useful life.
5. Providing technical assistance to Transmission Planning Regions prior to filings, including by supporting coordination and joint planning among neighboring Transmission Planning Regions on interregional transmission facilities.
6. Presenting a public annual report for each Transmission Planning Region on the Office's findings and recommendations.

This legislation has been endorsed by Grid Action, Earthjustice, Fix the Grid, Evergreen Action, the Center for Biological Diversity, Union of Concerned Scientists, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and Public Citizen.

Senator Markey has long been a champion of much-needed grid modernization and lower energy prices for consumers. In May 2024, Senator Markey held a roundtable discussion in Boston with utility, renewable energy, community, and labor stakeholders on regional energy grid priorities. At that roundtable, he announced a discussion draft of the BETTER Grid Operator Act to improve the governance and independence of our country's grid operators.

In April 2024, he, along with Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), wrote to the Independent Service Operator of New England (ISO-NE) stressing that the grid operator must "address issues of governance with increased accountability and transparency, strategically build out transmission capacity, and reshape the ISO-NE market structures that have a history of unfairly subsidizing existing fossil fuel generation."

In July 2023, Senator Markey and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Greg Casar (TX-35) led the reintroduction of the CHARGE Act, which contains several key provisions for expanding transmission and critical grid infrastructure to improve reliability, lower costs for ratepayers, and spur clean energy innovation.

In February 2023, Senator Markey and Representative Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) reintroduced the Heating and Cooling Relief Act to invest in and expand the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), ensuring families who are eligible for energy bill assistance and support are provided the relief they need, and to leverage LIHEAP funding to invest in climate adoption and clean energy. Over the past three years, Senator Markey sent multiple letters in support LIHEAP appropriations, additional LIHEAP funding, and expedited release of existing funding.

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