Full Title: Clean Power Plan Transmission Investments: It’s Not How Much, It’s How Soon
Author(s): Kiran Kumaraswamy, Ken Collison, Rakesh Maurya, Jamie Cotrone, & Matt Robison
Publisher(s): ICF International
Publication Date: January 1, 2015
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
The Bottom Line:
1. The Clean Power Plan (CPP) is likely to drive significant retirements and changes in generating resource mix and dispatch patterns that will alter transmission flows and could impact overall system reliability.
2. Focusing only on transmission security, we estimate that the United States will require at least $1.5 to $2.5 billion in transmission grid investments to maintain grid reliability. This amount is well within historical levels, but the timeline for planning and constructing new infrastructure is a relatively greater challenge.
3. Transmission infrastructure will be important for CPP’s successful implementation and presents an investment opportunity. To identify and ensure timely development of the appropriate portfolio of solutions, stakeholders must start their analysis and planning as soon as the rule is final.