Frequently Asked Questions
Who benefits from a stronger electric transmission grid?
Anyone who relies on an affordable and dependable supply of electricity to run their
homes, power their businesses and enjoy the benefits of today's technologies
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What is meant by "transmission grid congestion?"
Congestion describes the situation when the flow of electricity on the transmission
system is constrained by the physical capacity of the line or associated equipment,
such as transformers. These congestion points or "bottlenecks" can limit the flow
of power from one region to another, in much the same way a three-lane highway
reduced to two lanes will restrict the flow of traffic.
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Is congestion a costly problem?
Electricity congestion directly translates into higher electricity bills and reduced
reliability. In fact, a national study by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) urges
that "we do everything we can to facilitate investment in new generation and transmission
capacity." DOE has estimated congestion costs U.S. consumers about $8 billion per year.
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What is a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor?
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 required the DOE to designate National Interest Electric
Transmission Corridors (NIETC) in areas with significant transmission congestion
and granted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authority to oversee
their utilization. State regulatory commissions continue to have primary decision-making
power to authorize transmission projects within such corridors.
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Who determines where new transmission lines are needed?
In the mid-Atlantic States, regional transmission organizations (RTOs) have been
established and regulated by FERC. These RTOs have planning authority for deciding
new lines are needed. After an RTO decides new lines are needed, electric
utilities must then ask state utilitiy commissions for permission to build the
lines.
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What do the experts say?
Our region has been designated a "Critical Congestion Area" by DOE. Various industry
experts have concluded regional electric reliability could be compromised as
early as 2011 without new transmission lines. This also would affect the cost and
availability of electricity.
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Do we have enough electricity to meet future demand?
The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) predicts a 19 percent increase
in peak electric demand over the next decade and warns that investment is needed
in all areas of the electric system, from power plants to transmission lines. NERC
indicates that as congestion on the transmission grid increases, the ability to
meet demand will become increasingly difficult even if the needed power plants are
built.
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Who pays for transmission lines?
Ultimately, all electricity consumers pay for transmission services as part of their
electric bills. Across the nation, there are many different cost allocation processes
involved that control who pays for new investments in transmission.
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Does the federal government have the right to force states to build transmission
lines?
No. Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the federal government in the form of FERC has the authority
to approve transmission line projects if states are unable to do so and FERC determines
those lines are vital to electric reliability in the region. But the provision that
gives FERC such authority is intended as a "last resort" in the event transmission
congestion is not being addressed in a timely manner by the states involved.
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Are Environmental Impact Studies Required?
Definitely. The final route selection for a proposed transmission line is based
on extensive engineering studies and assessments to determine the route that will
have the least environmental impact. These evaluations must show the proposed
line will comply with all federal and state environmental requirements
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How safe are transmission lines?
They are perfectly safe. There have been countless studies over the years, including
one by the National Academy of Sciences, to determine possible health effects from
transmission lines and no ill health effects have been documented.
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Why not build the lines underground?
There are no underground lines of the size needed — 500 kilovolts — built in the
U.S. for a number of reasons. It takes six underground lines to equal the capacity
of a single overhead line. If damaged, underground lines can take weeks to repair;
a fact which could seriously jeopardize the stability of the power grid. As underground
lines are not visible, each requires 30 to 50 feet of right of way stripped of all
vegetation and trees and the amount of excavation needed is far greater than needed
for an overhead line. For this reason, underground lines can cost up to 10 times
more to build.
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How will land be acquired for these types of projects?
Typically, utilities negotiate directly with private property owners to acquire
the necessary right of way. Experience shows fair and reasonable agreements are
reached after an extensive appraisal process that takes into account the features
of each particular property. It is in the interest of the utility to make every
effort to reach agreements quickly and fairly.
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Will the construction of transmission lines result in increased emissions from coal-fired
power plants?
Construction of the transmission lines will not directly impact actual regulated
emissions from existing generating units. Criteria air pollutant emissions from
power plants are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the
federal Clean Air Act. This statute was first enacted in 1970 and emission controls
have been tightened through subsequent amendments to the law and rulemakings over
the past 38 years. The emission control requirements are based on the protection
of public health and the environment with an extra margin for safety.
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Will increased transmission lines help or hurt the move toward renewable energy
sources?
New transmission lines will mean an increased capacity to distribute electricity
from sustainable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro power and biomass, as well
as from new clean coal technologies. There is a very large potential for wind power
generation in the middle of the U.S. Unfortunately, there is little transmission
capable of delivering energy to large population centers in the mid-Atlantic states.
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Many environmental advocates say new transmission lines are not needed. They
say energy conservation, demand-side management and the development of renewable
energy sources will eliminate the need for new transmission lines. Is this an accurate
statement?
No. We believe three key elements are critically needed to maintain and continue
the reliable delivery of electricity to customers. Those three elements are: 1)
effective energy conservation and development of renewable energy sources, 2) construction
of local electric generation plants and 3) construction of new transmission lines.
Each element is absolutely necessary to ensure that customers will continue receiving
reliable power in the future.
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