The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is poised to vote on a rule next month that could fundamentally change how power grid expansions are planned and paid for in the coming years.
FERC said it plans to hold a special May 13 meeting to consider its long-awaited transmission planning and cost-allocation proposal that’s been a focus of advocates for expanding the grid to improve electric reliability and move more renewable energy.
Facing pressure to roll out a rule first proposed almost two years ago, FERC Chair Willie Phillips has said it’s a historic opportunity to work through thorny issues tied to allocating costs for transmission lines crossing multiple states. The Biden administration’s goal of a nearly carbon-free electric grid by 2035 hinges on expanding the transmission system by two-thirds or more, the Energy Department said last year.
Travis Kavulla, vice president for regulatory affairs at NRG Energy and a former Montana utility regulator, told E&E News it’s still unclear how big and bold the FERC rule will be.
