2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 102-22 Arlington, Virginia 22201-3324 Phone 402 651-2948 www.GovernorsWindEnergyCoali­on.org Montana Gov. Steve Bullock Chair Delaware Gov. John Carney Vice Chair Executive Director Larry Pearce Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson California Gov. Jerry Brown Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper Hawaii Gov. David Ige Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, M.D. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam Washington Gov. Jay Inslee November 9, 2018 The Honorable Neil Chatterjee, Chairman The Honorable Cheryl A. LaFleur The Honorable Richard Glick The Honorable Kevin McIntyre Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20426 Subject: Interconnection Seams Study Dear Chairman Chatterjee and Commissioners: The Interconnection Seams Study1 was released in July at a symposium hosted by Iowa State University. Within this remarkable study are the answers to major policy challenges that confront the Commission today. The study shows that unifying the Eastern and Western U.S. power grids will make the nation’s electrical system more resilient, efficient, reliable, competitive, and less vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This collaborative effort, by the national labs, grid operators, electric utilities and others, provides a sound solution to many issues with which the Commission has grappled for years. Modernizing the nation’s electrical transmission and distribution system is as important to our states’ economic development today as creating the nation’s interstate highway system was 60 years ago. It is nearly impossible to transmit electricity among the nation’s three major grids — Eastern Interconnection, Western Interconnection, and Electric Reliability Council of Texas. As a result, very little electricity moves among these regions, further weakening the reliability of the nation’s overall transmission system. By comparison, China has committed $315 billion through 2020 for ultra-high voltage power lines to build a national transmission system to carry energy where it’s generated to where it’s needed. The Commission’s Order 1000 is the nation’s legal and policy foundation for the expansion and modernization of our electrical transmission system. It provides the framework to improve reliability and competition so that consumers have access to lower Transgrid-X 2030 Symposium July 26, 2018 Ames, Iowa, https://register.extension.iastate.edu/transgridx/symposium-information/documents 1 cost and cleaner energy sources. Order 1000, however, has not succeeded in promoting the national and inter-regional transmission planning that is needed and that can address many of the challenges confronting the states and the Commission. And while our states differ in many respects, they all recognize that enhanced transmission is essential to the nation’s energy future. Next Steps As policy leaders, we have a responsibility to begin a national discussion of the benefits a unified transmission system can provide our states. Also, as policy leaders, the Commissioners have a statutory responsibility to shape and lead that discussion. To address these concerns, we suggest the Commission, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, consider convening a series of meetings in partnership with the states, regional transmission organizations, members of Congress, and the private sector to discuss the Interconnection Seams Study and to identify the nation’s transmission needs, including integration of the nation’s major grids, as well as multi-state and inter-regional transmission challenges. It is our hope that these proposed meetings will show how a unified transmission system could benefit our states’ economies — creating jobs and strengthening national security and resilience. A strong national transmission system will support the economic growth our states and the nation need. The Coalition would welcome the opportunity to participate in a series of meetings with regional transmission organizations and other stakeholders to discuss the Interconnection Seams Study and other transmission needs. Please contact Larry Pearce, the Coalition’s executive director (402-651-2948 or larry@governorscoalition.org) if we can assist you. Sincerely, Steve Bullock Chair and Governor of Montana John Carney Vice Chair and Governor of Delaware Jeff Colyer Former Vice Chair and Governor of Kansas cc: Hon. Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Hon. Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Hon. Martin Heinrich, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Hon. Greg Walden, U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. Joe Barton, U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hon. Rick Perry, U.S. Department of Energy Hon. Francis Brooke, Special Assistant to the President