WASHINGTON – The following is a statement from Paul Cicio, Chair of the Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition (ETCC), which represents 79 diverse consumer organizations, on yesterday’s commissioning of NextEra Energy Transmission’s Empire State Transmission Line, which was attended by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and other state and local leaders.

“The Empire State Line project is the latest example of how electricity transmission competition can lower costs for consumers, while improving reliability and helping to achieve climate goals,” said ETCC Chair Paul Cicio. “With inflation at 40-year highs, this cost-saving competition should be the rule, not the exception.”

“But instead of embracing competition, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) inexplicably rejects competition – a giveaway to incumbent monopoly utility companies that will cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars,” he continued. “The best way to reduce inflation is to bid the grid, just like New York is doing, and the FERC has the power to spread these cost savings to millions of electric ratepayers.”

The Empire State line was selected by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) through a competitive bidding process– the first competitively bid transmission project awarded and built in the State of New York. The new 20-mile, 345 kV transmission line enables the delivery of almost 3,700MW of renewable energy and provides savings to customers statewide of over $500 million, according to NextEra Energy Transmission (NEET).

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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