Officials from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Governor Dannel Malloy have expressed an interest in creating a new auction program for utilities to bid on the right of providing power to more than 800,000 residential customers who have not signed up with an independent electricity provider. According to a story in the CT Post, the auction could provide the state upwards of $80 million.

During our 2012 national conference last December in Austin, a policy resolution was passed promoting smart grid and grid modernization efforts at CSG. The resolution sets up a general framework of important components that should be considered by states when discussing grid modernization initiatives as well as encouraging additional educational outreach work to CSG's membership and interaction with other sister organizations on behalf of states. 

CSG Director of Energy and Environmental Policy Brydon Ross outlines the top five issues for 2013, including the future of coal, Clean Water Act legal actions, energy infrastructure hardening, managing the energy wave, and EPA air regulations. 

The siting of interstate electricity transmission lines has long been a problem for both states and the federal government. With the expected growth in electricity demand—combined with the need to bring renewable energy to market and the necessity to enhance and secure the nation’s energy infrastructure—the need for added transmission capacity in the United States has never been more critical. Attendees learned more about a member-driven initiative aimed at improving the siting process through common applications, pre-determined timelines and coordinated publichearings during this session. This new compact will be ready for legislative introduction beginning in 2013. Subject matter experts discussed the need for the compact, the development process and specific areas covered by the new interstate agreement.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The Council of State Governments encourages states to continue to evaluate the energy efficiency and demand reduction opportunities that can be achieved with electric utility grid modernization efforts, subject to the unique and specific circumstances that exist in their respective state.

One solution to the growing challenge of siting interstate transmission lines may be the formation of an interstate compact governing transmission line siting.   The Energy Policy Act of 2005 granted states advance congressional consent to create regional interstate compacts and CSG, through the National Center for Interstate Compacts, and with the assistance of a drafting team comprised of subject matter experts has developed model language for state consideration.  

In October 2012, the Obama administration passed an important milestone in siting 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy projects - three years ahead of the objectives laid out in federal law - to encourage the development of vast resources on public land. Constructing large amounts of expensive electric transmission lines and concerns over habitat impacts to endangered species pose potential hurdles for these and other large-scale renewable energy projects. 

The National Center for Interstate Compacts will unveil language for a compact intended to ease efforts among states to site interstate electricity transmission lines during a 2:30-4 p.m. session Dec. 2 at The Council of State Governments’ 2012 National Conference in Austin, Texas.