Report, Mind the Regulatory Gap: How to Enhance Local Transmission Oversight

This November 2024 report from RMI addresses the regulatory gap afflicting smaller transmission projects, which are often approved without coordinating in any regional transmission process, resulting in a grid that is built more piecemeal and at higher cost, putting the country off track to expand the electric grid to the extent necessary to achieve the clean energy transition. The report advocates regional, federal, and state reforms to address the regulatory gap. Recommended state reforms include offering expedited cost recovery for local projects that have undergone a robust regional review, updating integrated resource plans to incorporate transmission, creating electric transmission authorities, which are independent bodies established to coordinate transmission development, and growing PUC regulatory staff capacity and expertise.