Modernizing the U.S. electric grid: A proposal to update transmission infrastructure for the future of electricity
Sara Murphy
Abstract
Abstract Electric transmission infrastructure is often undervalued in the United States. However, a recent surge of electrical blackouts due to extreme weather conditions and natural disasters has brought the United States' aging transmission infrastructure to the spotlight. Recent cyberattacks on critical energy infrastructure have also brought attention to the vulnerabilities in the U.S. electric infrastructure. Advancements such as the growth of electrification in the transportation sector and the integration of variable renewable energy critical to the decarbonization of the energy sector, further challenge the capacity of current electrical infrastructure. Addressing deficiencies within U.S. electric infrastructure requires the collaboration of many stakeholders including federal agencies, state governments, local communities, and electricity generation and distribution entities. To properly undertake the challenges to the United States transmission infrastructure, it is recommended that potential solutions are accurately modeled, that the FERC uses its rulemaking capacity to foster collaboration, and that the federal government creates a national transmission loan program to specifically fund nationally significant transmission projects.