Full Title: Regional Electricity Transmission Planning in the West Workshop Proceedings
Author(s): David Solan, Elizabeth Wilson, Daniel Kirschen, Tim Hargrave, Benyamin Lichtenstein, Paul Sschulman, Alfred Marcus, Dave Koehler, and Lisa Bearg
Publisher(s): Energy Policy Institute and Center for Advanced Energy Studies
Publication Date: September 1, 2012
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Much of the electricity grid was planned, sited, and constructed decades ago. Upgrades and new lines are required to maintain reliability and to bring electricity to load or population centers. Recent mandates for renewables necessitate new lines to be built to connect remote areas where utility-scale wind, solar, and other resources are usually found. The investment needed is at least in the tens of billions of dollars. New transmission lines may run hundreds or even over a thousand miles, crossing federal, state, and local jurisdictions. Each jurisdiction may require a separate approval for a project, depending on its specific geography.