Pipelines and Power Lines: The Future of U.S. Energy Infrastructure and the Implications for Clean Energy

Welcome remarks from ComEd Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Terence R. Donnelly.
Though often overlooked, long-distance pipelines and power lines are critical components of the U.S. energy system, bringing fuel and electricity from the places they are produced to demand centers, where they power our lives. Today, there are more than 1.5 million miles of natural gas pipelines in the United States and 600,000 miles of transmission system power lines.
As important as this system is for producers and consumers alike, it often faces substantial challenges. Several recent pipeline projects have been delayed or interrupted due to local opposition. This has led to some unexpected consequences, including the import of Russian LNG into the U.S. Northeast.
Unlike the largely national natural gas system, the U.S. power system consists of three separate grids with multiple system operators, and state regulators have substantial authority over project approvals. Because of the complexities of this system, just 32 high-voltage, interstate transmission power lines have been built since 2000, totaling only 3,000 miles. In 2017, numerous interstate transmission projects were cancelled due to a combination of market forces and barriers imposed by states through which new lines would pass.
Addressing these barriers could reduce energy costs and accelerate clean energy development in the United States. New, long-distance power transmission that brings solar and wind power from the most productive parts of the country to demand centers could dramatically reduce the costs of renewable electricity. What is the path forward?
Join EPIC for a conversation with Jon Wellinghoff, former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Ed Krapels, CEO of transmission developer Anbaric; and Allen Fore, Vice President of Public Affairs at pipeline operator Kinder Morgan, on the lessons learned by industry and regulators over the past several years and the future of U.S. energy infrastructure. The event will be moderated by Steve Cicala, an assistant professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, with welcome remarks from ComEd Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Terence R. Donnelly.