Kentucky’s Sixth District Rep. Andy Barr, R-Lexington, along with Congressman Scott Peters, a California Democrat, have reintroduced legislation to significantly hasten the siting and permitting of critically needed electric transmission lines.
Passage of the Streamlining Powerlines Essential to Electric Demand (SPEED) and Reliability Act would mean faster approvals to build the electrical lines that carry energy from where it is generated to where it is needed sooner. This will lead to lower costs for consumers and prevent blackouts.
Under the current National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) program, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) are supposed to work together to designate broad corridors for transmission development, with the goal of streamlining siting and permitting for high-impact transmission lines in the national interest.
However, the process has yet to result in a single transmission project due to widespread opposition to this corridor-based approach. The SPEED and Reliability Act reforms this program by removing the ability of the Secretary of Energy to designate corridors, centralizes environmental reviews at the bipartisan and independent FERC, and includes additional guardrails to protect customers, benefit local communities, and respect state authority.
“AI data centers and advanced manufacturing are at the core of America’s economic future, but they can’t run without reliable, affordable power,” Barr said. "The SPEED and Reliability Act cuts red tape and builds the transmission lines we need to lower costs and ensures we stay ahead of China in the race for AI.”
Peters added: “We cannot wait a decade plus for individual transmission lines to be approved if we don’t want to fall behind China and our adversaries. This bill will lower costs for consumers, improve reliability, and help secure America’s energy independence.”
