Coalition of 40 organizations urge Congress to provide funding for electric transmission

A coalition of more than 40 organizations and companies is urging Congress to provide robust funding for electric transmission deployment and research in the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

In a letter to Congressional leaders, the coalition highlights how upgrading and expanding the nation’s transmission network has taken on new immediacy.

“For the first time in two decades, demand for electricity is rising,” the groups wrote in a joint letter. “Capacity exists to support this increasing demand and, with the right investments, can be brought online quickly.”

Further, they underscore the national security benefits of a modernized transmission system, pointing out data that shows a sharp uptick in direct cyber and physical attacks on the grid.

Specifically, the signatories are asking Congress to consider funding requests for DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, Office of Electricity, and Loan Programs Office and additional borrowing authority for the Transmission Facilitation Program.

They wrote that the funding “is critical to unleashing domestic clean energy resources, safeguarding against emerging threats, catalyzing billions in private capital investment, creating thousands of good-paying jobs, and delivering low-cost energy to families and businesses.”

It was signed by Advanced Energy United, Advanced Power Alliance, Advancing Modern Powerlines (AMP) Coalition, Alliance for Clean Energy New York, American Clean Power Association, American Council on Renewable Energy, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Ceres, Clean Energy Buyers Association, Clean Grid Alliance, Conservative Energy Network, CTC Global, EarthGrid, EDP Renewables North America, Grid Action, Grid United, HASI, Innergex, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Unit 1245, Interwest Energy Alliance, Invenergy LLC, League of Conservation Voters, Longroad Energy, MAREC Action, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, NextEra Energy Transmission, Niskanen Center, Oceantic Network, Onward Energy, Pattern Energy, RENEW Northeast, Renewable Northwest, Sierra Club, Solar Energy Industries Association, Sol Systems, Southern Renewable Energy Association, SouthWestern Power Group, Third Way, VEIR, and Working for Advanced Transmission Technologies (WATT) Coalition.