The Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition (ETCC), which represents 75 companies and organizations, has sent a letter urging Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) to include transmission competition in his legislative agenda. The letter makes specific recommendations on how to increase competition, reduce costs to consumers by 20-30 percent, and help achieve President Biden’s plans to decarbonize the economy.

“As you pursue your legislative agenda to increase domestic production of energy, reduce inflation, increase employment, and address Build Back Better provisions to increase decarbonization, the undersigned organizations urge you to include the enclosed provisions that would unleash transmission competition, as FERC Order 1000 intended,” said Paul Cicio, Chair of the Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition, in the letter. “Studies show that only three percent of all transmission projects are competitively bid and that competitively bid projects reduce costs to consumers by 20-30 percent.”

The ETCC welcomes legislation at the federal and state level that promotes competition and transparency in the transmission planning and construction process. Research by the Brattle Group has found that competitive bidding results in an estimated 20 to 30 percent cost savings for transmission projects. If just one third of electricity transmission investment were subject to competition and assuming a 25% cost savings, it would generate $175B in project savings by 2050. By increasing competition in America’s electricity transmission infrastructure, we can help American families and businesses save billions.

You can read the full letter here.

About the Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition

The Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition (ETCC) is a broad-based, nation-wide coalition committed to increasing competition in America’s electricity transmission infrastructure. We advocate for common-sense policies and solutions that result in competitively priced transmission projects, which reduce energy costs for all ratepayers – from large manufacturers to residential consumers. The ETCC represents a diverse group of more than 70 companies and organizations from all 50 states, including manufacturing groups, retail electric consumers, state consumer advocates, public power representatives, think tanks, and non-incumbent transmission developers.

For more information, visit: www.electricitytransmissioncompetitioncoalition.org.

Press Contact:
Julian Graham
jgraham@signaldc.com