Edison Electric Institute backs $1.2 trillion infrastructure framework

Published on July 08, 2021 by Dave Kovaleski

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The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) announced its support for the infrastructure framework that the Biden administration developed with a bipartisan group in Congress.

The $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework makes “transformational” investments in clean transportation infrastructure, clean water infrastructure, universal broadband infrastructure, clean power infrastructure, remediation of legacy pollution, and resilience to the changing climate.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework would modernize and expand transit and rail networks across the country while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It would be the largest federal investment in public transit in history. It would also repair roads and bridges and create a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers along highways and in rural and disadvantaged communities. The plan calls for building 500,000 EV chargers. In addition, it would electrify thousands of school and transit buses across the country.

Also, it calls for an upgrade to the power infrastructure, which includes building thousands of miles of new transmission lines to facilitate the expansion of renewable energy through a new Grid Authority. It is the single largest investment in clean energy transmission in American history. Also, it seeks to connect every American to reliable high-speed internet.

“EEI and our member companies – America’s investor-owned electric companies – share the commitment of Congress and President Biden to build and enhance our nation’s infrastructure, and we commend the development of the bipartisan infrastructure framework that includes a focus on creating jobs and encouraging investment in clean energy technologies, the energy grid, electric vehicle charging, and middle-mile broadband,” EEI President Tom Kuhn said. “EEI’s member companies are working to get the energy we provide as clean as we can as fast as we can while maintaining the reliability and affordability that our customers value. We will continue to work with the Biden administration, and with policymakers on both sides of the political aisle in Congress, to advance the policies needed to benefit customers, to support infrastructure development, and to accelerate the clean energy transformation that is underway.”