WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, members of the House Energy and Commerce’s Energy Subcommittee heard from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Richard Glick and other FERC commissioners about the changing energy landscape in America.  Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) used the hearing as an opportunity to ask about the value of interstate transmission, specifically how a 21^st century macro grid could help deliver clean, reliable, and low-cost energy to more consumers across the country.

“Expanding interstate transmission of renewable energy is integral to solving several interrelated challenges, including addressing climate change, maintaining our national security, and reducing costs for consumers,” said Rep. Peters. A report from American Council on Renewable Energy found that each additional gigawatt of transmission capacity connecting the Texas power grid with neighboring states could have saved nearly $1 billion and kept the heat on for approximately 200,000 Texas homes during Winter Storm Uri in February of 2021.

Rep. Peters continued: “Recent power crises across our American West have revealed the vulnerabilities of existing systems and are only growing more common due to extreme weather events brought on by climate change. We must act quickly to reduce climate pollution, build a clean energy economy, and increase our grid resilience. Expanding interstate transmission is essential to accomplishing each of these goals, and that is why I introduced the POWER ON Act earlier this year.”

In response, Chairman Glick said that interregional grid planning must be improved and agreed that the current process of requiring each region to approve projects separately and jointly is too bureaucratic, takes too much time, and is too costly, pointing out that one of the biggest impediments is the issue of interstate siting. When asked by Rep. Peters if a statute could remove that barrier to get high-power interstate lines built, Chairman Glick replied: “Absolutely - your bill does that very thing.”

Rep. Peters’ POWER ON Act clarifies FERC’s backstop siting authority for interstate transmission projects while establishing a move inclusive engagement process with states, tribes, and property owners. The bill has been endorsed by key groups, including Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, the American Clean Power Association, and the American Council on Renewable Energy.

Watch the full exchange, HERE.