The largest modifications to the financing and planning of American power lines in over a decade were approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Encouraging backers of the idea believe that this step might lead to the construction of thousands of kilometers of new high-voltage power lines and facilitate the addition of more wind and solar energy. On Monday, federal regulators approved significant changes to the planning and funding of America’s electric grids.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates interstate power transmission, has released a new regulation that represents the biggest effort in years to modernize and extend the nation’s aging electrical grid.

Experts have cautioned that the government is not building nearly enough high-voltage power lines, which increases the risk of blackouts caused by extreme weather and makes it more difficult to switch to renewable energy sources and keep up with expanding electrical consumption.
According to the commission, a major factor contributing to the slow rate of grid growth is the infrequency of long-term planning by operators. The primary goal of the patchwork of utilities and regional grid operators in charge of the country’s three major electric grids is to guarantee the dependability of energy supply to residences and commercial buildings.

Grid operators are typically reactive when it comes to constructing additional transmission lines; they usually take action only in response to requests from wind-farm developers to link to the current network or in the event that a reliability issue is detected.

After two years of development, a new federal rule mandates that grid operators nationwide determine their demands twenty years ahead of time. This includes accounting for variables such as shifts in the energy mix, the increasing number of states requiring wind and solar electricity, and the potential for extreme weather. In addition to developing strategies for dividing the expenses of those lines among consumers and companies, grid designers would need to assess the advantages of new transmission lines, such as whether they would lower electricity rates or lessen the likelihood of blackouts.

“We must plan our nation’s grid for the long term,” said Willie Phillips, a Democrat who chairs the energy commission. “Our country’s ageing grid is being tested in ways that we’ve never seen before. Without significant action now, we won’t be able to keep the lights on in the face of increasing demand, extreme weather, and new technologies.”

For More Details: https://mirrorworldmagazine.com/