More interregional transmission could have saved consumers $3.4–$7.1B annually in recent years—but the generators who'd lose revenue have every incentive to block the buildout. (Utility Dive)
Researchers found that connecting low-cost Midwest and Great Plains generation to high-cost East Coast markets would benefit producers in the interior and hurt incumbents in the Northeast and Southeast to the tune of $20M+ per year.
Interregional lines made up just 2% of new circuit-miles from 2011 to 2020—and generators like NextEra and Entergy have actively opposed projects that would open their markets to cheaper competition.
To break the gridlock (literally), FERC just sent Congress a roadmap outlining 35 GW of interregional transmission needed for reliability. But Chairman Laura Swett cautioned it’s “not a cure-all solution and should be considered in conjunction with potential economic impacts and other reliability strategies.”