05/02/2022

30+ Organizations Urge Congress to Support Robust Transmission Funding in FY 2023 Budget

A diverse coalition of more than 30 clean energy organizations, environmental nonprofits, labor unions, consumer groups, developers and other companies sent a joint letter to Congress today urging robust funding for high-voltage transmission deployment and research in the Department of Energy’s FY 2023 budget.

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In the letter, the organizations stated their support for the critical work being done by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Grid Deployment Office, Loan Programs Office (LPO), and Office of Electricity (OE), writing that new funding for these offices will “drive substantial clean energy deployment, unleash billions in private investment, create thousands of new jobs, deliver low-cost energy to benefit customers, and substantially reduce emissions.”

“Our energy transmission infrastructure is essential to providing Americans access to the power they need,” the organizations wrote. “To ensure American families and businesses always have access to power, it is imperative that we invest in and build new transmission to make our grid more reliable, resilient, and interconnected. Upgraded and expanded transmission lines will keep costs down by bringing diverse types of affordable, clean power to more communities.”

In the letter, the organizations encourage Congress to consider the following:

Additional funding for the Transmission Facilitation Program
Additional funding for deployment of technologies to enhance grid flexibility
Grants for enhancing grid resilience
Funding for Title XVII - Loan Guarantees
‘Moonshot’ funding for converter stations
National transmission planning needs and long-term planning studies
Transmission planning technical assistance for states

The signatories on the letter include the Advanced Power Alliance, American Clean Power Association, American Council on Renewable Energy, Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, Anbaric, Apex Clean Energy, Avangrid, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Clean Energy Buyers Association, CustomerFirst Renewables LLC, Direct Connect Development Company, EDF Renewables, Enel North America, ENGIE North America Inc, Hannon Armstrong, IBEW Local 1245, Infrastructure & Energy Alternatives (IEA), Innergex, Invenergy, Lightsource bp, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Ocean Winds NA, Ørsted, Pine Gate Renewables, Renewable Northwest, RES Group, Smart Wires Inc, Sol Systems, Solar Energy Industries Association, TPI Composites Inc., VEIR, and the WATT Coalition.

To download the joint letter, click here.