Pete Domenici: “because our very economic security is dependent on the availability of electricity, our Nation must reinforce its…”

“because our very economic security is dependent on the availability of electricity, our Nation must reinforce its electric power transmission system. In the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Congress sought to establish national interest electric transmission corridors to make America's electricity grid more secure by ensuring there is enough capacity in essential areas. In EPAct, we directed the Energy Department to identify regions where electricity reliability is threatened by transmission congestion and to designate national corridors. Congress further provided FERC with "backstop siting" authority for the construction of transmission facilities if the states involved are unable or unwilling to do so. Just recently, DOE unveiled the following two draft corridor designations: the Mid-Atlantic Area National Corridor, which runs from New York to Northern Virginia; and the Southwest Area National Corridor, which includes counties in southern California, western Arizona, and southern Nevada. The amendment offered by Senator Thune would authorize the Energy Department, in designating national corridors, to consider transmission constraints or congestion that increases costs to consumers; limits resource options to serve load growth; or limits access to sources of clean energy, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass.”