Domenici Praises Rollout of National Corridor Designations
October 2, 2007
03:01 PM
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Pete Domenici, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today praised the Department of Energy (DOE) for finalizing its National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor designations.
By finalizing the two designations, DOE is following a process prescribed in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The process is intended to make America’s electricity grid more secure by ensuring there is enough transmission capacity in essential areas.
The two Corridors designated by DOE are the Mid-Atlantic Area National Corridor, which runs from Northern Virginia to New York, and the Southwest Area National Corridor, which includes counties in Southern California and western Arizona. The designations are largely consistent with DOE’s draft proposal in May, and with its Congestion Study issued in August, 2006.
“The availability of electricity is an important part of our nation’s energy security. In fashioning the Energy Policy Act of 2005, we worked to ensure that steps were taken to provide consumers with a safe and reliable electricity grid. I am pleased to see that the Department of Energy is taking the next step forward in providing relief to those consumers in regions facing transmission constraint or congestion,” Domenici said.
The Energy Policy Act required DOE to issue a study of electric transmission congestion by August 2006, and every three years thereafter. States have one year to act on any proposed transmission lines within a National Corridor, and under certain circumstances the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has the authority to move forward with siting power lines.
“With the designation of the National Corridors, the provisions set forth in the Energy Policy Act can now be put into motion. We are closer to meeting our country’s growing electricity needs, and ensuring that consumers are provided with electricity that is both reliable and affordable,” Domenici said.
There will now be a 30-day rehearing period, in which legal challenges concerning the DOE designations must be filed. The next DOE Congestion Study is due for release in 2009.
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