Transmission

This DOE-backed software is helping to unclog the grid

GridUnity’s software can shave 12 months from the sluggish interconnection process that’s stalling clean power. A $50M DOE grant is helping it expand.

By Jeff St. John . 12 November 2024

(Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Transmission

The US is building power lines faster, but not fast enough

Major transmission lines and grid plans have been approved in the past two years. But they're just 10 percent of what the country needs to decarbonize its grid.

By Jeff St. John . 18 September 2023
EV charging

The grid isn't ready for the EV boom. Can better data fix that?

Utilities lack the necessary data to plan ahead for the coming influx of EV charging. A new data-sharing consortium could help them overcome that obstacle.

By Jeff St. John . 7 August 2023
Clean energy

FERC takes a big step to get more clean energy on the US grid

Clean energy groups welcome major interconnection reform — but also warn the U.S. won't be able to clean up its grid without a huge expansion of transmission.

By Jeff St. John . 31 July 2023
Transmission

Large swaths of the US grid could be vulnerable to blackouts this summer

Soaring temperatures could cause widespread electrical outages as power generation fails to keep up with demand.

By Nathaniel Scharping . 19 June 2023
Transmission

US clean energy rollout continues to be hamstrung by grid challenges

Recent efforts at permitting reform have done little to address the well-known issues of inadequate transmission and jam-packed interconnection queues.

By Akielly Hu . 13 June 2023
Transmission

One path to more power lines? Make US grid operators share more

With transmission snubbed in the recent debt ceiling deal, grid experts say "minimum transfer capacity" requirements are key to getting more power lines built.

By Jeff St. John . 5 June 2023
Transmission

A backed-up grid threatens clean energy growth from Virginia to Illinois

A new NRDC report warns that backlogs at PJM could undermine state decarbonization targets if the grid operator doesn't undertake decisive reforms soon.

By Jeff St. John . 30 May 2023
Transmission

California has a new $7.3B plan to fix its transmission problems

The state’s grid operator unanimously approved the plan — a crucial step in California’s bid to modernize a grid that lags behind its climate goals.

By Jeff St. John . 22 May 2023
Transmission

Biden's got a plan for ramping up energy transmission

The White House wants Congress to pass permitting reform. In case that doesn't work, it's tapping DOE's authority to make it easier to build transmission.

By Jeff St. John . 17 May 2023
Podcast

Understanding the transmission bottleneck

The lack of transmission could severely limit the energy transition. What can we do to fix it?

Play

By Shayle Kann . 42 min . 4 May 2023