WASHINGTON – Nov. 25, 2024 – WIRES, the transmission trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high-voltage grid, announced today its 2025 leadership team, with Amanda Rumsey, Manager, RTO and Federal Regulatory Policy, PPL Corporation, elected as WIRES President.

WIRES 2025 Officers:

• President: Amanda Rumsey, Manager, RTO and Federal Regulatory Policy, PPL
• Vice President: David Burnham, Director, Transmission Policy, Eversource Energy
• Secretary: Jamie Simler, Vice President, Federal Regulatory Affairs, Ameren
• Treasurer: Devin McMackin, Director, Federal Affairs, ITC ‎Holdings

“WIRES continues to actively engage on behalf of a growing list of transmission owners with regulators, legislators and other policymakers to advance policies that will accelerate the build out of critically needed and beneficial transmission,” said Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES. “In 2025 WIRES will continue our efforts to raise awareness of the economic and national security importance of a robust and resilient grid. I am looking forward to working closely with the incoming WIRES president, Amanda Rumsey, and the entire 2025 leadership team, and I want to thank the WIRES 2024 Officers and Board of Directors for their dedication and service.”

Jodi Moskowitz, WIRES’ current president, will join the WIRES Board of Directors in 2025. Kerry Powell, Vice President, Grid Integration at Duke Energy was elected to a two-year board term. Tom Hestermann, Retired, Manager, Transmission Policy, Sunflower Electric Power Corp., will step down from the board at the end of 2024

WIRES 2025 Board of Directors:

• Jodi Moskowitz, Deputy General Counsel & RTO Strategy Officer, PSEG
• Stacey Burbure, Vice President of FERC & RTO Strategy & Policy, American Electric Power (AEP)
• Brian Gemmell, Chief Operating Officer, NY Electric, National Grid
• Kerry Powell, Vice President, Grid Integration, Duke Energy
• Dave Weaver, Vice President, Transmission Strategy, Exelon

“The unprecedented increase in power demand from data centers and the resurgence of onshore manufacturing underscores the need for accelerated investments in the nation’s transmission infrastructure to ensure reliability and resiliency for customers and support business growth and development,” said Amanda Rumsey, Manager, RTO and Federal Regulatory Policy, PPL and WIRES incoming 2025 president. “I look forward to working with Larry Gasteiger and the WIRES leadership team to educate policymakers and key stakeholders on the benefits of a strong, technology-driven transmission system, the need to hasten the build out of this vital infrastructure, and the importance of regulatory certainty to encourage investment in transmission.”

The post WIRES Announces 2025 Officers and Board of Directors appeared first on Wires Group.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2023 — WIRES, the transmission trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high-voltage grid, announced today its 2024 leadership team, with Jodi Moskowitz, Deputy General Counsel & RTO Strategy Officer at Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), elected as the new WIRES President. 

WIRES 2024 Officers:

• President:  Jodi Moskowitz, Deputy General Counsel & RTO Strategy Officer, PSEG
• Vice President:  Amanda Rumsey, Manager, PJM and Federal Regulatory Policy, PPL Electric Utilities
• Secretary: David Burnham, Director, Transmission Policy, Eversource Energy
• Treasurer: Devin McMackin, Manager, Federal Affairs, ITC ‎Holdings

“The general consensus is that the U.S. grid will need to double or triple in size by 2050 in order to meet our ambitious climate goals,” said Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES. “While 2023 saw progress from FERC and DOE in addressing some obstacles to building needed transmission, there is still considerably more work that needs to be done. In 2024 WIRES will continue our mission to elevate awareness of the numerous benefits of transmission infrastructure while highlighting advanced transmission technologies that can also be deployed to expand the capacity and reliability of the grid. I want to thank the WIRES 2023 Officers and Board of Directors for their tireless work, and I look forward to working closely with Jodi Moskowitz, the incoming WIRES president, and the entire 2024 leadership team.”

WIRES’ current president, Stacey Burbure will join the WIRES Board of Directors in 2024. Current directors, Brian Gemmell and Dave Weaver have been elected to a second, two-year board term. Nina Plaushin, Vice President of Regulatory & Federal Affairs at ITC Holdings, will step down from the board at the end of 2023. 

WIRES 2024 Board of Directors:

• Stacey Burbure, Vice President of FERC & RTO Strategy & Policy, American Electric Power (AEP)
• Brian Gemmell, Chief Operating Officer, NY Electric, National Grid
• Tom Hestermann, Retired, Manager, Transmission Policy, Sunflower Electric Power Corp.
• Will Sauer, Managing Director, Federal Regulatory Affairs, Duke Energy
• Dave Weaver, Vice President, Transmission Strategy, Exelon

“There is a need for significant amounts of new infrastructure to continue to ensure reliability for customers in the face of ever-increasing changes to the generation mix, ambitious clean energy targets, the occurrence of extreme weather events and threats to cyber and physical security,” said Jodi Moskowitz, Deputy General Counsel & RTO Strategy Officer, PSEG and WIRES incoming 2024 president. “In the year ahead, I look forward to working with Larry Gasteiger and the WIRES leadership team to educate policymakers and key stakeholders on the benefits of transmission infrastructure and the need for regulatory certainty to encourage investment in that infrastructure.”

WIRES Reports

WIRES disseminates research and reports that help educate regulators, legislators, and the industry on a variety of transmission issues. The most recent study, a Primer on Transmission Formula Rates (TFRs), explores what TFRs are, describes how FERC applies such rates, and assesses the positive ratemaking characteristics inherent in the use of TFRs for customers, regulators, transmission owners, and other industry stakeholders. Visit the WIRES Reports page for these and other transmission industry resources.

WIRES Tech Talks

As part of its mission, WIRES seeks to raise awareness of innovative transmission technologies that can help accelerate development of a more robust grid. The WIRES Tech Talks webinar series features WIRES’ rapidly growing roster of Associate Members discussing a variety of Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) and other advanced technology. Topics have included Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR), advanced conductors, and next generation sensors and data analytics, and the discussions have included utility adoption and case studies. The series will continue into 2024. Visit our WIRES Events page to learn more.

The post WIRES Announces 2024 Officers and Board of Directors appeared first on Wires Group.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2022 — WIRES, the transmission trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high-voltage grid, announced today its 2023 leadership team, with Amanda Conner, Vice President, FERC and RTO Strategy and Policy, at American Electric Power (AEP) elected as the new WIRES President.

WIRES’ 2023 Officers:

• President: Amanda Conner, Vice President, FERC and RTO Strategy and Policy, AEP
• Vice President: Jodi Moskowitz, Deputy General Counsel & RTO Strategy Officer, PSEG
• Secretary: David Burnham, Director, Transmission Policy, Eversource
• Treasurer: Amanda Rumsey, Manager, PJM and Federal Regulatory Policy, PPL Electric Utilities

“Grid resilience, electrification and clean energy adoption are key drivers that continue to highlight the essential value that transmission delivers U.S. consumers and businesses, and have prompted keen attention from regulators and lawmakers on how to advance more of this critical grid infrastructure,” said Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES. “FERC’s ambitious transmission reform effort has been a central focus this year and WIRES has been a leading voice in informing those deliberations. I am grateful for the input and efforts of the WIRES 2022 Officers and Board of Directors, and I look forward to working closely with the incoming WIRES president, Amanda Conner, the entire 2023 leadership team, and our rapidly expanding WIRES membership.”

WIRES’ current president, Will Sauer, will join the WIRES Board of Directors. Nina Plaushin and Tom Hestermann were both elected to a second, two-year board term. Priti Patel, Vice President & Chief Transmission Officer at Great River Energy, will step down from the board upon completing her term.

WIRES’ 2023 Board of Directors:

• Will Sauer, Managing Director, Federal Regulatory Affairs, Duke Energy
• Brian Gemmell, Chief Operating Officer, NY Electric at National Grid
• Tom Hestermann, Manager, Transmission Policy, Sunflower Electric Power Corp
• Nina Plaushin, Vice President, ITC Holdings
• Dave Weaver, Vice President, Transmission Strategy, Exelon

“The role of high-voltage transmission in our journey to a clean energy economy cannot be overstated,” said Amanda Conner, Vice President, FERC and RTO Strategy and Policy, AEP and WIRES’ incoming 2023 president. “The industry simply has to get transmission infrastructure right in order to create access to cost-effective, cleaner generation and make the grid more resilient. With Larry Gasteiger at the helm, WIRES has done an outstanding job of both educating the public and regulators on the value of transmission and advocating for advancements in continued transmission development. I look forward to working closely with Larry and the WIRES leadership as we continue this mission.”

WIRES Reports

WIRES disseminates research and reports that help educate regulators, legislators, and the industry on a variety of transmission issues. The most recent study, the Value of Local Transmission Planning, prepared by Charles River Associates (CRA), highlights how local transmission planning helps to support a resilient and clean transmission grid. The report finds that local transmission planning is foundational to the success of the regional planning process and to achieving public policy goals, and that local project needs are often unique and distinct from regional system issues and solutions.

Visit our WIRES Reports page for these and other transmission industry resources.

The post WIRES Announces 2023 Officers and Board of Directors appeared first on Wires Group.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2021 – WIRES, the international trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high voltage grid, announced today its 2022 leadership team, with Will Sauer, Managing Director, Federal Regulatory Affairs at Duke Energy,elected as the new WIRES President.

The 2022 slate of WIRES officers includes:

• President: Will Sauer, Managing Director, Federal Regulatory Affairs, Duke Energy
• Vice President: Amanda Conner, Vice President, FERC and RTO Strategy and Policy, American Electric Power
• Secretary: Jodi Moskowitz, Deputy General Counsel & RTO Strategy Officer, PSEG
• Treasurer: Amanda Rumsey, Manager, PJM and Federal Regulatory Policy, PPL Electric Utilities

“This past year was marked by a whirlwind of activity as the Biden administration and Congress acted on the pressing need for more transmission infrastructure,” said Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES. “In parallel, FERC has undertaken the most ambitious transmission policy reform effort in more than a decade. WIRES is fortunate to have a deep bench of industry experts as our officers and board members to continue our mission of advocating for more investment in critical transmission. I look forward to working alongside WIRES’ incoming president Will Sauer, the entire leadership team, and the growing WIRES membership on what is likely to be one of the most impactful years for the transmission industry in a generation.”

WIRES’ current president, Dave Weaver, Vice President, Transmission Strategy at Exelon, will join the WIRES Board of Directors. Brian Gemmell, Chief Clean Energy Development Officer at National Grid, was elected to a second 2-year term on the Board. 

WIRES’ 2022 Board of Directors will include:

• Brian Gemmell, Chief Clean Energy Development Officer, National Grid
• Tom Hestermann, Manager, Transmission Policy, Sunflower Electric Power Corp
• Priti Patel, Vice President & Chief Transmission Officer, Great River Energy
• Nina Plaushin, Vice President, ITC Holdings
• Dave Weaver, Vice President, Transmission Strategy, Exelon

“High-voltage transmission’s critical role in grid resilience, the integration of clean energy resources and the coming electrification of transportation has received renewed and well founded attention in 2021,” said Will Sauer, Managing Director, Federal Regulatory Affairs, Duke Energy and incoming WIRES 2022 President. “WIRES has been a leading transmission industry voice, educating and advocating for advancements in North America’s transmission infrastructure and highlighting transmission’s many benefits. There is much work before us as we seek to build out the grid of the future, and I look forward to working closely with Larry, and the WIRES leadership in what has all the hallmarks of a landmark year ahead.”

WIRES Reports

WIRES disseminates research and reports that help educate regulators, legislators, and the industry on a variety of transmission issues.  In 2021 WIRES shared the following two studies:

• A study by Charles River Associates (CRA) published on Dec. 20, 2021, the Value of Local Transmission Planning, highlights how local transmission planning helps to support a resilient and clean transmission grid. The report finds that local transmission planning is foundational to the success of the regional planning process and to achieving public policy goals, and that local project needs are often unique and distinct from regional system issues and solutions.

• In May 2021, London Economics International (LEI) prepared an analysis of the economic and job benefits that transmission offers. The Repowering America: Transmission investment for economic stimulus and climate change report identified $83 billion in planned transmission projects around the country that had been ISO/RTO Board-approved and/or recommended to regulators. The study found that the construction phase of this infrastructure investment would add $42 billion to GDP, create approximately 442,000 family-supporting jobs, and boost direct local spending by nearly $39 billion cumulatively.

Visit our WIRES Reports page for these and other transmission industry resources.

The post WIRES Announces 2022 Leadership Team appeared first on Wires Group.

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2020 – WIRES, the international trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high voltage grid, today released an analysis prepared on its behalf by London Economics International LLC (LEI) that highlights the short- and long-term economic benefits and job creation driven by high voltage transmission projects.

The Repowering America: Transmission Investment for Economic Stimulus and Climate Change report identified $83 billion in planned transmission projects around the country that have been ISO/RTO Board-approved and/or recommended to regulators. LEI’s analysis found that this infrastructure investment would add $42 billion to GDP, create approximately 442,000 well-paying jobs, and boost direct local spending by nearly $39 billion cumulatively during the construction phase of the projects.

The LEI report also found that in the longer term over the transmission assets’ lifecycle, the operations and maintenance of these projects would provide an annual GDP increase of $1.6 billion and create around 9,000 permanent jobs. The co-benefits of the transmission projects were also highlighted as offering longer-term impact on GDP, including reduction in electricity prices, increasing renewable generation, and advancing decarbonization goals.

“This report quantifies what WIRES and its members have long known — that investment in transmission infrastructure drives family-supporting jobs and can deliver a significant boost to the national and regional economies. That’s just what we need in our current economic climate,” said Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES. “The Biden Administration clearly views grid infrastructure as a critical component of its Build Back Better agenda and a means to achieve its ambitious climate goals, and WIRES commends its focus on transmission. We encourage more attention on federal policies and incentives that will spur even more grid investment, and address planning, siting, permitting and cost allocation issues that delay transmission build out, so the country can more quickly reap the benefits of this mission-critical infrastructure.”

Of the $83 billion in approved and/or recommended planned projects, LEI found that the GDP during the construction impact (including the installation and domestic manufacturing stages) could generate an increase of nearly 14% of utilities current value added GDP and more than double utilities’ current regional employment, based on 2019 levels. (The definition of utilities in this report includes electric power generation, transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, water, sewage and other systems.)

“It is clear that transmission infrastructure is a powerful driver for unlocking GDP growth and job creation in the U.S.,” said Julia Frayer, managing director at LEI. “In our analysis we purposefully took a very conservative assessment of the figures, and anticipate that the multiplier effect and co-benefits of transmission projects would drive substantially greater economic impact.”

About London Economics International

London Economics International LLC (LEI) is a global economic, financial, and strategic advisory professional services firm specializing in energy, water, and infrastructure. The firm combines detailed understanding of specific network and commodity industries, such as electricity generation and distribution, with sophisticated analysis and a suite of proprietary quantitative models to produce reliable and comprehensible results. The firm also has in-depth expertise in economic and financial issues related to the electricity, gas, and water sectors, such as asset valuation, procurement, regulatory economics, and market design and analysis. LEI has worked extensively in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, and has a comprehensive understanding of the issues faced by the utilities and regulators alike. Visit: www.londoneconomics.com.

The post Construction of $83 Billion of Planned Transmission Infrastructure Would Create 442,000 Quality Jobs; Drive $42 Billion in GDP and $39 Billion in Direct Local Spending appeared first on Wires Group.

The complete slate of WIRES officers for the 2021 term includes:

• President: David Weaver, Vice President, Transmission Strategy at Exelon Corp.
• Vice President: William Sauer, Federal Regulatory Affairs Director, Duke Energy
• Secretary: Jodi Moskowitz, Deputy General Counsel & RTO Strategy Officer, PSEG
• Treasurer: Kelly Pearce, Managing Director, Transmission Asset Strategy & Policy, American Electric Power

“All signals point to dynamic growth of the electrified economy in 2021, with expansion of renewable generation and progress toward the electrification of the transportation and building sectors,” said Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES.  “To achieve the bold goals being set by states, corporations, utilities – and those anticipated from the incoming Biden Administration – it is clear that exponential growth in transmission is needed. I look forward to working with our expert WIRES team led by incoming president, David Weaver, to advance policies that encourage investment in strategic transmission.”

WIRES’ current president, Tom Hestermann will join the WIRES Board of Directors, and two current directors, Priti Patel and Nina Plaushin, will each serve for a second, 2-year term.  The 2021 WIRES Board of Directors will include:

• David Bonenberger, Vice President, Transmission and Substations, PPL Electric Utilities
• Brian Gemmell, Vice President, Transmission Asset Management & Planning and Capital Delivery Electric, FERC, National Grid
• Tom Hestermann, Mgr., Transmission Policy, Sunflower Electric Power Corp
• Priti Patel, Vice President & Chief Transmission Officer at Great River Energy
• Nina Plaushin, Vice President at ITC Holdings

“As the voice of the transmission industry, WIRES will be leading efforts in 2021 to educate and advocate for advancements in North America’s transmission infrastructure,” said David Weaver President of WIRES, and Vice President, Transmission Strategy at Exelon Corp.  “New transmission development will not only enable a transition to a clean energy future, it will also deliver a much-needed economic boost to workers and communities across the country.  I’m excited to help WIRES bring about this important work.”

The need for substantial growth in the transmission grid has been supported by a growing body of research, including an important study prepared by ScottMadden for WIRES this past year called Informing the Transmission Discussion. The report looks both regionally and nationally at the enormous amount of renewable resources coming online to meet clean energy mandates and goals, and the transmission required to bring that energy to load.  It also details the transmission required to meet growing resilience concerns which are being driven by increasing extreme weather events, aging infrastructure, and growing cyber and physical threats to the grid.

The post WIRES Announces 2021 Leadership Team appeared first on Wires Group.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2020 – WIRES, the international trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high voltage grid, today released a comprehensive report prepared on its behalf by ScottMadden that provides a region-by-region analysis of renewables integration and resilience issues. Informing the Transmission Discussion highlights concerns that without strategic and timely expansion of transmission infrastructure, the ability to meet clean energy mandates and goals may be in jeopardy. The study also explores regional resilience concerns due to extreme weather events and limitations in the energy supply, and makes interregional recommendations for renewables integration and grid hardening.

“The last few years have seen an ambitious expansion in clean energy mandates and goals,” said Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES. “It is clear that we need to match those ambitions with an equally strong commitment to strategic transmission infrastructure to ensure the delivery of new energy resources. At the same time, we are seeing increasing risks and challenges to maintaining the resilience of the grid. The varying regional needs and the level of complexity and planning required to meet them, are driving WIRES’ and its members’ sense of urgency to address the transmission challenge.”

ScottMadden projects more than 600 terawatt hours (TWh) to 714 TWh of mandated clean energy demand by 2030. The report compares this demand to the regional forecasts for wind and solar supply, noting opportunities for intra-regional, and inter-regional import and export of supply. A 2019 report prepared for WIRES by the Brattle Group estimates the need for $30-$90 billion in incremental investment in new transmission infrastructure by 2030 to connect all of the new generation resources and ensure resilience.

“Transmission is critical to meeting our evolving clean energy and resilience objectives,” said Cristin Lyons, partner and energy practice leader at ScottMadden. “However, in spite of its essential role, transmission infrastructure remains extremely difficult to site and build. If we are to meet the myriad clean energy goals and increase the resilience of the grid, more transmission is necessary and policy should facilitate its development.”

WIRES offers this report to facilitate a comprehensive review and discussion by planners, policy makers, regulators, and those who are interested in the development of a robust transmission grid that is adequate to meet environmental and resilience goals. The organization is encouraging state, regional and federal policymakers and stakeholders to use this report as a tool to better align their processes and policies to spur development of this critical infrastructure.

About ScottMadden, Inc.

ScottMadden is the management consulting firm that does what it takes to get it done right. We consult in two main areas—Energy and Corporate & Shared Services. We deliver a broad array of consulting services ranging from strategic planning through implementation across many industries, business units, and functions. To learn more, visit scottmadden.com | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

The post New ScottMadden Report Validates Need for Critical Transmission Infrastructure to Support Clean Energy Goals and Ensure Resilience appeared first on Wires Group.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2019 — WIRES, the international trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high voltage grid, announced today its newly elected 2020 leadership team, with Tom Hestermann, Manager, Transmission Policy Regulations at Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, elected as the new WIRES President.

The complete slate of WIRES officers for the 2020 term includes:

• President: Tom Hestermann, Manager, Transmission Policy Regulations, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation
• President Elect: Brian Drumm, Manager, Federal Regulatory Relations & Policy and Associate General Counsel, American Transmission Co.
• Vice President: David Weaver, Vice President, Exelon Utilities Transmission
• Strategy Treasurer: Kelly Pearce, Managing Director, Transmission Asset Strategy & Policy, American Electric Power
• Secretary: Dan Prowse, Transmission Access Officer, Hydro Connections Department, Manitoba Hydro

Elected to the WIRES Board of Directors for two-year terms are: David Bonenberger, Vice President, Transmission and Substations, PPL Utilities; and Brian Gemmell, Vice President, Transmission Asset Management & Planning and Capital Delivery Electric, FERC, National Grid. Brian is the current 2019 President of WIRES, and David has been elected to serve a second term on the board. Other members of the WIRES Board of Directors include:

• Priti Patel, Vice President & Chief Transmission Officer at Great River Energy
• Dan Rogier, Vice President, Transmission Asset Strategy and Policy at American Electric Power
• Nina Plaushin, Vice President at ITC Holdings

Donna Fulton, Director of Federal Regulatory Policy, Eversource Energy, will retire from the board at the end of the 2019 term.

“The year ahead promises to be a pivotal one,” said Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES. “The new energy economy is evolving at a rapid pace, driving the pressing need for new investments in transmission. At the same time, the challenges to getting needed transmission built are ever increasing. WIRES, under the capable leadership of Tom and his strong slate of officers, will continue to work closely with government, industry and stakeholders to advance a more resilient, robust and secure electric transmission grid.”

“As transportation and heating move toward an electrified future and states continue to pursue aggressive renewable portfolio standards, the critical importance of a robust and resilient grid multiplies,” said Tom Hestermann, President of WIRES, and Manager, Transmission Policy Regulations at Sunflower Electric Power Corporation “WIRES will redouble our efforts to educate and advocate for advancements in North America’s transmission infrastructure.”

Leadership on public policy for transmission planning and investment is needed at this critical juncture. A recent report from The Brattle Group projects that $30-to-$90 billion of investments in the electric transmission grid will be required by 2030, and significantly more by 2050, in order to meet the demands of the evolving electrified economy. The report, titled The Coming Electrification of the North American Economy: Why We Need A Robust Transmission Grid, found that electrification of the transportation, heating, and data application sectors will exponentially increase electricity needs, and drive demand for low-carbon and renewable energy resources. A substantially more robust transmission infrastructure will be necessary to support this fundamentally different energy economy.

The post WIRES Announces 2020 Leadership Team appeared first on Wires Group.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2019 – WIRES, the international trade association that promotes investment in the high voltage grid, and several other organizations in the electric power space announced today a Statement of Principles for advancing development of a modern electric transmission grid. The Statement was agreed to by a diverse coalition of 10 U.S. and Canadian organizations following the International Summit on the Electric Transmission Grid, held last month at the Embassy of Canada.

Among the signatories of the Statement of Principles are the Edison Electric Institute, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers).

“The Summit brought together diverse industry voices to address the pressing need for advancing the inter-regional and cross-border grid of the future,” said Brian Gemmell, the president of WIRES and a vice president of transmission asset planning at National Grid. “The coming electrification of transportation and heating in the U.S. will require major new electric transmission infrastructure. We are calling for more leadership, cooperation and investment at the federal, state and regional levels to address the barriers that have inhibited the planning and execution of critical transmission projects that will be absolutely necessary to support the new electrified economy.”

Joining WIRES in their support of the Statement of Principles are 10 other organizations:
Americans for Clean Energy Grid
Canadian Electricity Association
Edison Electric Institute
Energy Systems Integration Group
Great Plains Institute
GridWise Alliance, Inc.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Works
National Electric Manufacturers Association
Solar Energy Industries Association
WaterPower Canada

Among the principles agreed upon were the following:

• Policy makers in the United States and its several states and municipalities and in Canada and its several Provinces, Territories, and municipalities are urged to review and improve the regulation of the infrastructure that comprises the electrical grid, to (1) streamline processes governing economic and environmental reviews of projects where possible, (2) promote economic and energy efficiency, (3) deliver important environmental benefits, and (4) ensure equitable sharing of the cost of needed infrastructure; as appropriate;
• As applicable, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Department of Energy, and state economic regulators should assess the need to improve upon and revise regulatory processes and corresponding regulations and policies governing the planning and cost allocation of high voltage electric transmission, balancing the public’s interest in expedition, cost savings, care of the environment, and an equitable sharing of burdens;
• U.S. States and Canadian Provinces and Territories that adopt renewable electric generation (fuel) requirements for their domestic utilities and other generators should, at the same time, recognize and take into account the extent to which such policies necessitate the development of additional transmission lines and/or the deployment of advanced technologies;
• Canadian and U.S. industry leaders and public policy makers must ensure that investment in grid infrastructure in both countries responds effectively to threats from extreme weather and cyber intrusion.

“Maximizing the social, environmental and economic benefits of North America’s abundant renewable electricity resources will require, among other elements, an enhanced focus on transmission infrastructure,” said Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin, President, WaterPower Canada (WPC). “This statement of principles highlights the ongoing collaboration between the Canadian and American electricity sectors toward optimizing the use of clean and renewable electricity in both countries.”

“ACEG is pleased to sign onto this statement of principles,” John Jimison, Executive Director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG). “We look forward to collaborating with our fellow signatories and other diverse interests to advance a more affordable, resilient, and sustainable grid.”

The Summit gathered diverse organizations from the U.S. and Canada representing hundreds of companies, unions and interest groups to discuss the robust interregional and cross-border grid of the future. Discussions focused on the planning and design of the future transmission grid, its economic benefits and regulatory challenges, the changing fundamentals in the electric sector, as well as threats to the grid’s resilience.

The post Diverse Coalition Signs Statement of Principles on Modernizing the Electric Transmission Grid appeared first on Wires Group.

WIRES, the international trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high voltage grid, today announced that Larry Gasteiger is its new Executive Director. Gasteiger, who brings deep federal regulatory experience, succeeds Executive Director, James J. “Jim” Hoecker, who founded WIRES in 2005 and has served the group for more than a decade.

“The WIRES board is delighted to name Larry as new Executive Director,” said Brian Gemmell, WIRES President and National Grid’s Vice President, Transmission Asset Management & Planning and Capital Delivery Electric. “Larry’s extensive federal regulatory leadership with nearly two decades at FERC, and more recent utility experience at PSEG, make him uniquely qualified to lead WIRES’ priorities in the coming years.”

Most recently Gasteiger was chief of federal regulatory policy at Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) where he focused on transmission and wholesale market policy issues. Prior to that he served for more than 19 years at FERC in a range of increasingly responsible leadership roles including as Chief of Staff for Chairman Norman Bay. He served as the Acting Director of the Office of Enforcement from August 2014 to April 2015 after having served as the Deputy Director from 2009 to 2014. Before he joined FERC’s Office of Enforcement, Mr. Gasteiger was the Director of the Division of Tariffs and Market Development – East, in the Office of Energy Market Regulation. Prior to that, he held several other positions at the Commission, including Deputy Associate General Counsel, Legal Advisor to Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher, and attorney in the FERC’s Solicitor’s Office.

“It is a tremendous honor to be chosen to lead WIRES, which has been a strong voice on behalf of a robust electric transmission system in North America,” said Larry Gasteiger. “The importance of the electric grid and the challenges in building and sustaining a reliable, efficient, and effective transmission system are ever-increasing. A major focus of WIRES’ efforts will be on educating and engaging decision makers on policies and proposals to meet the transmission needs of a transforming economy that is increasingly dependent on a clean, reliable and affordable supply of electricity. I look forward to working with the new officers, the Board, and the WIRES members to promote the benefits of transmission while working collaboratively with government, industry, and stakeholders in exploring and advancing solutions to meet North America’s growing transmission infrastructure needs.”

Leadership on public policy for transmission planning and investment is needed at this critical time.  A recent report from The Brattle Group projects that $30-to-$90 billion of investments in the electric transmission grid will be required by 2030, and significantly more by 2050, in order to meet the demands of the evolving electrified economy. The report, titled The Coming Electrification of the North American Economy: Why We Need A Robust Transmission Grid, found that electrification of the transportation, heating, and data application sectors will exponentially increase electricity needs, and drive demand for low-carbon and renewable energy resources. A substantially more robust transmission infrastructure will be necessary to support this fundamentally different energy economy.

“We salute Jim’s vision in recognizing the need for a group to educate and advocate for a more robust grid to meet changing consumer demands, shifts in generation resources and new technologies,” continued Gemmell.  “WIRES was founded on the heels of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which was, among other things, an initiative designed to reverse 30 years of grid underinvestment and which now requires substantial updating. We are extremely appreciative of Jim’s leadership and tireless efforts to advance our nation’s transmission network.”  Hoecker served as FERC Chairman from 1997 to 2001.

Gasteiger will assume leadership of WIRES on Nov. 18, 2019. Gasteiger is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Dickinson School of Law. He is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of the Energy Bar Association and former Board Member of the Saint Ambrose School. He resides in Fairfax County, Virginia with his wife and three children.

The post WIRES Appoints Larry Gasteiger as New Executive Director appeared first on Wires Group.