Transmission Siting and Permitting

In order to construct new transmission facilities or to significantly upgrade existing facilities in the U.S. electricity system, developers typically need approval from several state and federal agencies. This process has, in recent years, become protracted and difficult. The difficulty is hardly surprising given that transmission facilities are highly visible structures that may span long distances and must somehow fit into physical surroundings that are already in use for other purposes. Incorporating these facilities into the landscape and taking fair account of the wide range of legitimate interests affected by them is challenging.