Chris Barnard writes in RealClearEnergy about the economic benefits of transmission lines.
- Transmission lines are critical for delivering reliable, clean power across the nation but they are expensive to build–sometimes costing millions of dollars per mile.
- A recent study from Berkeley National Laboratory has found that transmission lines can deliver $130 million in economic value over a decade, while another study found that a $10 million transmission project in the midwest will bring $37 billion to the region over 10 years.
- While the economic and environmental benefits of transmission lines are clear, transmission projects are often held up for years due to excessive permitting delays.
- Policymakers must modernize permitting for all energy projects and especially transmission lines to bring affordable, clean energy to consumers.
“These economic benefits should be a central part of the policy conversation around permitting reform. Congress needs to come together to ensure that future permitting reform also includes transmission reform to unlock its immense potential to reduce emissions, increase reliability, and ensure economic prosperity for Americans and communities across the country.”
Read the full article here.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
