Transmission

Access to high-voltage transmission lines is key for the development of utility-scale solar power projects, as transmission lines are what move the power from where the electricity is generated to where it is consumed. However, much of the existing transmission infrastructure in the solar-rich Southwest United States is full to capacity. SEIA promotes the expansion of the transmission grid through federal and state initiatives.

Recent News

On March 30, 2012, SEIA submitted comments to the Department of Energy (DOE) as it prepares to draft the 2012 National Electric Transmission Congestion Study, a document that assesses areas of electric transmission capacity constraints and informs the designation of national interest electric transmission corridors. SEIA's comments urged DOE to establish transmission corridors to connect remote solar resources in the US Southwest with areas of high demand.

On Oct. 4, 2011, SEIA wrote a letter to the House Natural Resources Committee in opposition to H.R. 2915 (McClintock), a bill to repeal Western Area Power Administration transmission borrowing authority in the 2009 ARRA legislation.

On Sept. 9, 2011, SEIA, wrote a letter to Secretary Chu in support of the Department of Energy (DOE) delegating to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unconditional authority to designate National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETC) under Section 1221 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

On Aug. 22, 2011, SEIA, in conjunction with the Energy Future Coalition, the American Wind Energy Association, and other parties, requested rehearing on two issues in FERC's Order 1000 on transmission planning and cost allocation. First, the Commission has provided insufficient guidance on what constitutes an appropriate planning region. Second, the Commission appropriately applies the "beneficiary pays" principle to most new transmission projects, but arbitrarily fails to apply this principle to projects located in one region that have significant benefits in an adjoining region. Correcting both of these shortcomings is critical to making timely progress on the transmission infrastructure challenges facing the Nation.

Also on Aug. 22, 2011, SEIA filed comments in response to FERC's Notice of Inquiry regarding third-party provision of ancillary services and accounting and financial reporting for new electric storage technologies. SEIA strongly supports the Commission's goal to facilitate the development of robust competitive markets for ancillary services. The non-discriminatory provision of essential products such as energy imbalance service at a reasonable price is critical to the deployment of variable energy resources such as solar and wind power.

On July 29, SEIA submitted comments in response to the Western Area Power Administration's (Western) proposed revisions to its Final Principles of Integrated Resource Planning. These Principles will guide Western's future energy resource acquisitions. While the Final Principles are a step in the right direction, Western has never signed a long-term power purchase contact for a significant amount of renewable power. Thus, SEIA recommends that Western affirmatively commit to meet a significant part of its long-term power purchase needs from solar and other renewable resources within a year.

SEIA and the Large-Scale Solar Association filed comments with FERC in response to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Integration of Variable Energy Resources.

See attached the pdf that was filed with FERC today in response to its Integrating VER NOPR on behalf of SEIA and LSA

SEIA filed and joined comments supporting FERC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding transmission planning and cost allocation.  Read SEIA's joint comments with the Large-Scale Solar Association; joint Stakeholder Coalition comments; and Energy Future Coalition comments. On Nov. 12, 2010, SEIA also filed and joined reply comments in the same proceeding. The comments reiterate the need for FERC to remove barriers to transmission in a timely manner and highlight the challenges facing solar project developers in the U.S. Southwest. For more information, see SEIA's reply comments and joint stakeholder coalition comments.

Transmission-related Resources

Western Governors' Association