Legislation to spur the construction of high-voltage interstate electric transmission lines and help South Dakota realize its rich potential to develop renewable energy resources is supported by Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D.

“This provision is about modernizing the rules that govern the electric grid, and reforming how the country builds high-voltage electric lines to correct the current under investment in the grid,” he said.

Johnson, a member of the Senate Energy Committee, said the panel was set to approve legislation to reform how the nation builds high-voltage interstate electricity lines. If approved, it would be added to a comprehensive energy bill the Senate is expected to consider this summer.

“Just like we have an interstate highway system that keeps people moving across the nation, we need a 21st century electric transmission superhighway to get our energy moving across the country,” Johnson said.

The provision would create a planning process to identify how to build an electric grid “backbone” across state lines and within regions of the country. It reforms the process for citing interstate electric transmission lines to reduce the likelihood that high-voltage lines crossing several states are stymied by delays.

For the first time, it also directs federal energy regulators to develop rules that ensure each region is paying a fair share of the costs to build a new interstate electric line.

Currently, the costs of financing new electric lines fall disproportionately on the regions of the country with abundant wind resources, meaning that many residents in the east and south are not paying their fair share to improve the delivery of renewable electricity.



For the complete article see the 05-14-2009 issue.

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