‘‘(iv) the availability of non-trans-
mission resources such as opportunities for 
energy efficiency, demand response, en-
hancements to economic dispatch, distrib-
uted generation, and installation of new 
control, metering, or capacity enhancement 
technologies; and 
‘‘(v) the development of the interstate 
electric transmission system in the des-
ignated region for the 10 years after sub-
mission of a regional transmission plan 
under paragraph (3). 
‘‘(6) TRANSMITTING
UTILITIES
AND
POWER 
MARKETING
ADMINISTRATIONS.—Federal 
power 
marketing administrations and transmitting utilities 
in a designated region shall integrate their trans-
mission plans with the regional transmission plans 
required by this section and shall otherwise partici-
pate in a regional transmission planning process by 
a regional transmission planner in accordance with 
this section. 
‘‘(7) COMMISSION ACTIVITIES.—If no regional 
transmission planner for a designated region is ap-
proved under paragraph (2), or in the event that an 
approved regional transmission planner does not 
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timely submit a regional transmission plan as re-
quired under paragraph (3), the Commission shall 
designate a planner or undertake the planning ac-
tivities described in this subsection for the des-
ignated region concerned and develop such a plan 
for such designated region expeditiously, in consulta-
tion with State regulatory authorities, as applicable, 
for all affected States or areas, the Electric Reli-
ability Organization, regional entities, transmission 
organizations, and transmission owners within the 
region, as appropriate. 
‘‘(8) COST
ALLOCATION.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this para-
graph, the Commission shall, by rule, require that 
all regional high voltage electric transmission cost al-
location processes and methodologies adhere to a 
clear and consistent set of regulatory principles, in-
cluding, as appropriate, that the costs of siting and 
the construction or modification of transmission fa-
cilities shall be allocated consistent with the range 
and distribution of benefits within the designated re-
gion that are provided by such facilities, the use of 
the transmission system, or with other equitable and 
economic considerations. In issuing a rule under this 
paragraph, the Commission shall consider regional 
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cost allocation processes and methodologies being de-
veloped or in existence as of the date of enactment 
of this paragraph. 
‘‘(9) PLAN
COORDINATION.—The Commission 
shall require regional transmission planners to co-
ordinate planning across regional boundaries within 
an Interconnection in order to achieve the purposes 
of this section. 
‘‘(d) CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND 
NECESSITY.— 
‘‘(1) PROPOSED FINDING OF PUBLIC CONVEN-
IENCE AND NECESSITY BY REGIONAL TRANSMISSION 
PLANNER.— 
‘‘(A) INCLUSION OF PROPOSED FINDING IN 
REGIONAL TRANSMISSION PLAN.—As part of a 
regional transmission plan submitted to the 
Commission under subsection (c)(3), a regional 
transmission planner may identify a regional 
transmission project or projects that such re-
gional transmission planner finds, based on the 
record of the regional transmission planning 
process, is required by, and consistent with, the 
public convenience and necessity. 
‘‘(B) PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECES-
SITY
CERTIFICATE
REQUEST.—A 
regional 
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transmission planner may submit to the Com-
mission a request to issue a certificate of public 
convenience and necessity for a regional trans-
mission project identified in a regional trans-
mission plan submitted under subsection (c)(3). 
Such request shall include a summary of the 
record developed for such project during the re-
gional transmission planning process. The re-
quest shall be based on whether such regional 
transmission project is or will be— 
‘‘(i) necessary to ensure regional com-
pliance with reliability standards or remedy 
violations of such reliability standards; 
‘‘(ii) necessary to provide significant 
relief from electric transmission congestion 
as measured by objective criteria, including 
consideration of the total cost of conges-
tion, hours of congestion, and the lack of 
feasible economic alternative means to re-
lieve congestion; 
‘‘(iii) important to the diversification 
of energy supply throughout the designated 
region, including by meeting the goals of 
applicable renewable portfolio standards; or 
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‘‘(iv) important to the development of 
smart grid technology that is consistent 
with the policy under title XIII of the En-
ergy Independence and Security Act of 
2007 (42 U.S.C. 17381 et seq.). 
‘‘(2) ISSUANCE
OF
CERTIFICATE
OF
PUBLIC 
CONVENIENCE
AND
NECESSITY.—The Commission 
may, after notice and opportunity for hearing, find 
that a regional transmission project is in the public 
convenience and necessity and issue a certificate of 
public convenience and necessity for the ownership 
and operation of such regional transmission project 
and the provision of any related services under the 
jurisdiction of the Commission if the Commission 
finds that— 
‘‘(A) a regional transmission planner in-
cluded a proposed finding of public convenience 
and necessity for such proposed regional trans-
mission project in one or more relevant regional 
transmission plans submitted to the Commis-
sion under subsection (c)(3); 
‘‘(B) a regional transmission planner sub-
mitted a request for the issuance of such a cer-
tificate; 
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‘‘(C) the proposed regional transmission 
project will be used for the transmission of elec-
tric energy in interstate commerce; 
‘‘(D) the proposed regional transmission 
project is consistent with the public interest in 
terms of its engineering, reliability, and other 
economic characteristics and the purposes of 
this section; and 
‘‘(E) the proposed regional transmission 
project will maximize, to the extent reasonable 
and economical, existing rights-of-way and the 
transmission capabilities of existing towers and 
structures. 
‘‘(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In issuing a certificate 
of public convenience and necessity under this sub-
section, the Commission shall give substantial def-
erence to any proposed finding of public convenience 
and necessity by a regional transmission planner in 
a regional transmission plan submitted under sub-
section (c)(3). 
‘‘(4) MULTIPLE
PROJECTS.—The Commission 
may treat multiple proposed regional transmission 
projects in any regional transmission plan as sepa-
rate for purposes of determining whether a certifi-
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