America's Electric Grid Upgrade Gains Voter Support

Great polling from the Conservative Energy Network is out! Among the most positive findings is the widespread support for streamlining permitting and modernizing America's energy infrastructure: > 75% support streamlining permitting for new energy generation projects, including nuclear, natural gas, solar, and wind, as long as environmental and safety standards are considered. > 78% support investing in transmission infrastructure if it lowers electricity bills in the long run and improves reliability. > 73% support streamlining permitting for new transmission infrastructure so long as landowner rights are maintained. > 72% support investing in expanding and modernizing the electricity transmission grid to improve reliability, reduce long-term costs, and meet future power needs.

Maryland homeowners will pay an extra $1.6 billion on their electric bills over the next decade to subsidize grid costs to feed data centers, according to a state agency

This New York Times interactive article takes a sharp look at the current state of the U.S. electric grid, highlighting where infrastructure is being pushed to its limits and why long‑term planning, investment, and smart policy are essential to ensure reliability. https://lnkd.in/erMeNADK

This is an interesting and timely article. I encourage anyone involved in the energy sector to give it a read!

We have scheduled a legislative-style hearing for June 3 at 11am to examine what's behind recent increases in the supply portion of residential electric bills and explore ways to address energy affordability. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ulX037

The grid is under pressure. US electricity demand is expected to grow by roughly 128 GW over the next five years. But building more isn't our only solution. For decades, the playbook has been: build big to serve peak load and pass the cost to the customer. But with demand skyrocketing, that old model is too slow and too expensive. States must past laws that require higher grid utilization and unlock utility data to move from "pilot phase" to "full rollout." In a new op-ed for Utility Dive, Deploy Action founding advisory chair Jigar Shah outlines four principles for states to navigate this moment: transparency, benchmarking, standardization, and oversight: https://lnkd.in/gwKXAHaF

Electricity is a commodity, but don't view it as a soft commodity like coffee or as an energy source like oil or gas. Let's think of the electricity system as a good, reliable jacket. In the 70s, we were living on a tropical island where utilities produced and sold sweaters, jackets, and coats, but you could buy only the types your utility offered. In the 90s, FERC's orders 888 and 889 moved us to ISO and RTO four-season land. They did an amazing job. Finally, you could be producing a linen sweater and buy a thick coat. However, the fear of a system shock that could cause a blackout or brownout has been a powerful driver of peak loads. RTOs and ISOs are constantly planning for blizzards and making parkas; everyone has to pitch in to keep materials in stock and make sure we'll have new winter coats for all, even in July. We've been planning for our more critical needs, but isn't it nice when you get to put your heavy coats away? In a world where the weather has gone crazy, our electricity demand is also unprecedented. There are new textiles to think about, layers, gloves, and scarves. Yes, coats will always be needed, but not everyone should have to pay to make them new year-round. Battery storage systems, distribution systems, and other solutions can keep us warm without the bulkiness and the high price tag. We need our electricity system to be a reliable, comfortable jacket and to have enough information to get our new and old coats ready if a storm is coming down.

California power bills jumped nearly 50% from 2021–2025. Voters are fed up and demanding solutions. Our new poll with Embold Research shows 86% want utilities to prove grid efficiency before building new infrastructure, 83% want lawmakers to prioritize lower bills, and 80% want local energy to compete with utilities. Let’s turn frustration into policy. Join me & Deploy Action on May 21 at 8 AM PT to discuss the California Electricity Affordability Pathway. I’ll be joined by: @Andrea Everett, Principal Researcher, Embold Research @Arnab Pal, Executive Director, Deploy Action @Jigar Shah, Founding Advisory Chair, Deploy Action Register: https://lnkd.in/gHrRq8zn

While the approach to data centers varies from state to state, there are areas where policy makers throughout the Great Lakes can work together to benefit their communities. These include tax subsidies, energy regulation and transmission, water supply, broadband, and land use, to name a few. Learn more: https://shorturl.at/jhJb4

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission advances a model tariff to guide utilities in managing energy demand from data centers and protect ratepayers. bit.ly/4t5zghZ