Robust and reliable transmission and distribution n etworks are essential to achieving the Administration's clean energy goals, including the development, integration, and delivery of new renewable and other low-carbon resources in the ele ctricity sector, and the use of these resources to displace petroleum-based fuels in the transportatio n sector.

Pursuant to Title IV of the American Reinvestment a nd Recovery Act (2009), the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery and E nergy Reliability is helping to strengthen the capabilities for long-term analysis and planning in the three interconnections serving the lower 48 United States. The analytic teams – bolstered by te chnical support from the DOE’s National Laboratories and leading universities – are identifying transmission requirements under a broad range of alternative electricity futures (including intensive application of demand-side technologies) , and develop long-term interconnection-wide transmis sion expansion plans. Under the Recovery Act’s Electricity Advisory Committee Technology Development Electricity Policy Coordination and Implementation Transmission Planning Congestion Studies National Electric Transmission Congestion Study Recovery Act Interconnection Transmission Planning Coordination of Federal Transmission Permitting on Federal Lands Improving Performance of Federal Permitting and Review of Infrastructure Projects Section 1222 of the Energy Policy Act 2005 International Electricity Home » Services » Electricity Policy Coordination and Implementation » Transmission Planning » Recovery Act Interconnection Transmission Planning

View a Map of the Interconnections 

### Recovery Act Interconnection Transmission Planning | Department of Energy http://energy.gov/oe/services /electricity-policy-coordination-and-implem...

1 of 4 8/28/2015 3:53 PMFunding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA0000068), D OE issued awards to five organizations that will perform this work in the Western, Eastern and Texas Interconnections.

In each interconnection, the awardees are establish ing an open, transparent, and collaborative process involving participants from industry, feder al and state governments, and non-governmental organizations. In each interconnection, a diversifi ed steering committee – including at least 1/3 representation from the states – is developing cons ensus scenarios for future electricity supplies and analyzing environmental and other considerations th at will be incorporated into transmission plans. DOE is participating actively in these analytic and planning activities. Other federal agencies and departments, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, and the Dep artment of Agriculture, are interested in this initiative and will participate as they think appro priate.
As a result of these planning efforts, each of the awardees is producing long-term resource and transmission planning studies in 2011, with updated documents in 2013. The knowledge and perspective gained from this work will inform polic y and regulatory decisions in the years to come and provide critical information to electricity ind ustry planners, states and others to develop a modernized, low-carbon electricity system. These awards are divided into two topic areas – fun ding for transmission planners and funding for state agencies. Awards under the first topic area f unds transmission planners’ work with stakeholder organizations within an interconnection to project options for alternative electricity supplies and th e associated transmission requirements. The second gr oup of awards goes to state agencies or groups of agencies developing coordinated interconn ection priorities and planning processes.
View the project website of each grantee at:
Eastern Interconnection States' Planning Council (E ISPC) Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIP C) Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Long Term Study Western Governors Association Regional Transmission Expansion Project(also see the State/Provincial Steering Committeewebpage) Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) Reg ional Transmission Expansion Project(also see the Scenario Planning Steering Committeewebpage)
If you have any additional questions, please contact the Department (see contact information below).
Original Transmission Interconnection Planning Anno uncement and Amendments
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
An essential component of the Interconnection-Wide Transmission Planning Initiative is funding for DOE’s national laboratories on key topics that will support the five awardees’ interconnection-wide transmission planning work. On April 1, 2010, DOE r eleased a Funding Opportunity Announcementto receive competitive bids from the national labs with a due date of May 3, 2010. Regulation Other Regulatory Efforts Electricity Policy Technical Assistance Program August 2003 Blackout DOE Grid Tech Team Energy Assurance Cybersecurity 

### Recovery Act Interconnection Transmission Planning | Department of Energy http://energy.gov/oe/services /electricity-policy-coordination-and-implem...

2 of 4 8/28/2015 3:53 PMList of selected organizations

More About "Topic A" and "Topic B" Awards

More About the Interconnections

Interconnection Meeting Calendars

New Reports & Other Materials

Quick Links to Featured Reports David Meyer Program Manager, Interconnection-wide Planning Initiative (202) 586-1411 David.Meyer@hq.doe.gov

Eastern Interconnection Liaison David Meyer (above)

Western Interconnection Liaison Larry Mansueti U.S. Department of Energy (202) 586-1411 Lawrence.Mansueti@hq.doe.gov

Texas Interconnection Liaison Sandia National Laboratories - Energy and Water in the Western and Texas Interconnects This project undertakes a comprehensive, regional a nalysis of the energy-water nexus to inform policy-making at local, state and federal levels. S pecifically, the resulting information supplements the interconnection-wide transmission planning effo rts with information on water availability, which i s critical when considering electric system planning options.

September 22, 2011 Western Electricity Coordinating Council releases i ts first-ever transmission plan for the Western Interconnection.

June 10, 2011 The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIPC) announced that its stakeholders have agreed on the final set of “resource expansion futures” to be studied as part of the electric system transmission planning effort funded by DOE.

December 18, 2009 Secretary Chu Announces Efforts to Strengthen U.S. Electric Transmission Networks 

### Recovery Act Interconnection Transmission Planning | Department of Energy http://energy.gov/oe/services /electricity-policy-coordination-and-implem...

3 of 4 8/28/2015 3:53 PMMatt Rosenbaum U.S. Department of Energy (202) 586-1411 Matthew.Rosenbaum@hq.doe.gov



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