Full Title: National Transmission Needs Study (Draft for Public Comment)
Author(s): US Department of Energy
Publisher(s): US Department of Energy
Publication Date: February 15, 2023
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
A robust transmission system is critical to the Nation’s economic, energy, and national security. The electric grid continues to face challenges from aging infrastructure and insufficient transmission capacity. The U.S. Department of Energy undertakes this National Transmission Needs Study (Needs Study) to identify needs that could be alleviated by transmission solutions. Findings of this Needs Study will inform the Department of Energy as it coordinates the use of its authorities and funding related to electric transmission, including implementing the many grid resilience and technology investment provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act. The Needs Study reviews publicly available data and over 50 different industry reports published in the past five years that consider current and anticipated future needs given a range of electricity demand, public policy, and market conditions.
This study prescribes no particular solutions to issues faced by the Nation’s power sector. Rather, it establishes findings of need in order for industry and the public to suggest best possible solutions for alleviating them in a timely manner. As used in this study, an electric transmission need refers to the existence of present or expected electric transmission capacity constraints or congestion in a geographic area. Geographic areas where a transmission need exists could benefit from an upgraded or new transmission facility—including non-wire alternatives—to improve reliability and resilience of the power system; alleviate transmission congestion on an annual basis; alleviate transmission congestion during real-time operations; alleviate power transfer capacity limits between neighboring regions; deliver cost-effective generation to high-priced demand; or meet projected future generation, electricity demand, or reliability requirements.