This week, Connecticut leaders announced our state is joining a group of 10 states to coordinate activities to improve interregional transmission planning and development. In more simple terms, this group of states will work together to explore opportunities to increase electricity flow in the northeast as a whole. This work will enhance the reliability of our region’s electric grid and make it easier for states to work together on developing offshore wind project infrastructure, needs and solutions.
Connecticut joined Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont in the agreement.
This group, the Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission, is the first in the nation to work on such an issue, reflecting the interstate flow and transmission of electricity and efforts for states to work together to find better solutions in making sure their grids can meet the demands of the future.
Extreme weather, including heat waves, cold snaps and severe storms, can place strain on many energy grids, an issue that becomes more important to consider when reflecting on the interconnected nature for northeast states. By working together, states can find ways to reduce these potential service interriptions and reduce costs for consumers, especially if they work together to implement clean energy solutions like increased wind generation.
Collaborative efforts will let the region as a whole access lower-priced energy, especially when states work together to access it, and improve reliability during periods where there’s additional stress on the grid by allowing for improved collaboration and interactivity.
The group will also produce a plan to promote new development of offshore wind, including studying barriers preventing projects from moving forward and solutions to get past them. They’ll also develop plans to ensure increased flexibility and interoperability of projects as they come online in different places and at different times.
“This will mean lower costs for consumers through larger purchasing power, while it will benefit our grid when it faces severe weather or periods of high use, like the heat waves we’ve faced this summer,” said State Senator Norm Needleman, Senate Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee. “The Collaborative will also provide a better and more accessible market for offshore wind, with statewide interconnection helping to aid a transition away from fossil fuels in a more emphatic way.”
Posted by Joe O’Leary
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