Federal energy regulators on Monday approved a long-awaited rule to make it easier to transmit renewable energy such as wind and solar power to the electric grid — a key part ofThe rule, under development for two years, is aimed at boosting the nation's aging power grid to meet surging demand fueled by huge data centers, electrification of vehicles and buildings, artificial intelligence and other uses.
At the same time, aging infrastructure, shifting economics and a range of state and federal policies are leading traditional resources to retire, he said."On top of all of this, extreme weather events have become the norm, and the electric grid is routinely being pushed to the brink.'' Christie, the lone Republican on the three-member panel, said the rule “utterly fails to protect consumers″ and ensure reliable, low-priced power for American homes and businesses.
The rule is intended to streamline how power lines are sited and how costs are shared between states. It could accelerate construction of new transmission lines for wind, solar and other renewable power and add huge amounts of clean energy to the grid. Biden has set a goal of a carbon-free power sector by 2035, and net-zero carbon emissions economy-wide by 2050.
White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi said the FERC rule adds momentum to what he called the ″historic progress″ led by Biden on clean energy. The new rule “will improve regional transmission planning, break down barriers to grid buildout and support the delivery of more affordable and reliable power,″ Zaidi said,
Whether the policies promoted in the final rule “can be described as green, purple, red or blue is irrelevant,'' Christie said. “The point is that FERC as an independent agency has no business promoting the policies of any one party or presidential administration, especially when the effort to do so goes far beyond FERC’s legal authority.''Democrats and clean-energy advocates hailed the new rule as a way to bring clean and cost-effective electricity onto the grid.