[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6157968,"mediaKeyId","5462484-d81ec6f59f05baf349f8bcf1a20e4230","parentId",5462484,"title","Grid experts tell Senate faster high‑voltage transmission, reconductoring and grid-enhancing tech are the quickest ways to add capacity","audioSeconds",3532,"startMs",1539000,"endMs",5071000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5462484-d81ec6f59f05baf349f8bcf1a20e4230&start=1539&end=5071","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5462484-d81ec6f59f05baf349f8bcf1a20e4230/thumbnail_1539000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6157968/Grid-experts-tell-Senate-faster-highvoltage-transmission-reconductoring-and-grid-enhancing-tech-are-the-quickest-ways-to-add-capacity","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157968-dd14472abc88949ac34676512ea4d5a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773542190&Signature=NZRJuR5iVn5MwKxxGRLRr2e7A7W-O24pXu7HwNOxKWD3FxrrgdnJSZZda~TuLVppTnC~iJ2WivVYq61tFaOy8hb7hn6lCFaNAJHicZccpSBfl1UreeAKfAMHNeTqbvsm1wv2dPOnjb647fpnLwejCItSM-32TWlASrpnkfe81OLBJHeLx4mBr2kj1oUfD1hNyfPFRojfvDw0HAeNLIUgf0kyaBPlc2hnKupcWq9VmSBnK35oecak8pbnsKog~pmHSTsdOC5L7dnDGeSEq12XgX-v1GYIe~Rpz0TLwFDc7VOHq9wIHDNvvbcH8dRGjzMgfwM0NZW7r67piWruVN9uCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources","date","2025-07-24T14:41:25.34Z","article","Rob Gramlich, president of Grid Strategies, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that transmission is “the main thing we need right now” and argued Congress and federal agencies should prioritize high‑voltage lines and regional planning to integrate resources and lower costs.

Gramlich and other witnesses described three interrelated transmission priorities: (1) faster regional and interregional planning to identify lines with the most system benefit; (2) more rapid deployment of high‑capacity high‑voltage lines where new rights-of-way are justified; and (3) increased use of grid‑enhancing technologies (GETs) and reconductoring to increase throughput on existing corridors at lower cost and in shorter timeframes than full rebuilds.

Why it matters: Witnesses said transmission unlocks the value of generation by moving power from where it is plentiful to where it is needed, improving reliability and affordability. Several senators and witnesses pointed to the scale of need: NERC studies cited in testimony identified a potential need for roughly 35 gigawatts of interregional transmission to improve resilience and resource sharing.

Key points from testimony

- Reconductoring and GETs: Senator King and witnesses discussed advanced conductors and dynamic management systems that can boost line throughput by as much as 40%–100% in some applications without new rights-of-way, offering faster, less costly capacity increases than building new corridors.

- Interregional planning and EPRA: Gramlich praised prior committee work on interregional planning and called for follow‑on bipartisan action to implement EPRA‑type mechanisms that coordinate planning across regions and reduce siloed study timelines.

- Global comparison and manufacturing: Gramlich and other senators noted China’s rapid buildout of high‑voltage transmission and raised concerns that the United States lags; they also discussed the potential to scale domestic manufacturing of advanced conductors.

- Financing and federal role: Senators raised questions about how federal loan programs, tax incentives and FERC authorities could be used to accelerate lines. Senator King noted recent DOE loan-program choices that affect interregional projects and urged more stable, metric‑based federal support.

Representative quotes

- “Transmission is also the main thing we need right now. It has the highest impact,” Rob Gramlich said.

- “Reconducting and grid-enhancing technologies can create more headroom on the grid that allows more load to be developed reliably,” Gramlich added during exchanges with senators.

Remaining questions and next steps

Witnesses recommended that Congress focus on policies that speed siting approvals where needed, incentivize reconductoring and GETs to capture near-term capacity gains, and support coordinated interregional planning and cost allocation to share benefits across regions. Committee members expressed interest in considering legislative and administrative steps to implement those priorities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","ENR Committee Hearing on Increased Electricity Demand","oneSentenceSummary","Transmission, interregional lines and technologies such as reconductoring and dynamic line ratings were presented as the highest-impact, fastest ways to increase usable grid capacity and integrate more generation, witnesses and several senators said at the hearing.","taxTitle","Energy and Natural Resources: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1991,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6157974,"Vantage Data Centers says interconnection delays forced on-site gas plant in Virginia; company uses mobile turbines as short-term option",161,1865000,2026000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5462484-d81ec6f59f05baf349f8bcf1a20e4230&start=1865&end=2026","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5462484-d81ec6f59f05baf349f8bcf1a20e4230/thumbnail_1865000.jpg","/articles/6157974/Vantage-Data-Centers-says-interconnection-delays-forced-on-site-gas-plant-in-Virginia-company-uses-mobile-turbines-as-short-term-option","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157974-4af370ba5584def453e88c0b6132b9e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773542190&Signature=kFg~hQkGWtEsUOH9MVdlOyNk5GptB3bEJhgOFr6LuegNYeZZPLnAYWKiHQaHtSr9UCF8Aq3NWDTisqgN0nsx-IbMLgcKGhsKZjmtVXlpvzc47sdPvmIVRaEDF2OsAZCJ40a0iDa8cFnlLq-gdNBXH1gQlAWyCjP3GGq3i0WoUET3qKZmcV9PNR7bOFC-llQl9drKvgBWN2rGVEGsZz5dmODYss~zRNZvg7XJnjhD-ETVEgfum6lYrmm~t3caIzWYmfDCrgZKzADgXwF6ciRbVoz0N~ZA9969NCRB2MHsVYi0zCgutHvehsj3rnYmphg5RXSsFeIbPGiEWp4Np0IUyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeff Tench, executive vice president at Vantage Data Centers, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that the company had in one case “been left no choice” but to build on-site generation after a utility withdrew an allocation of grid power for a data-center project in Virginia.

Tench said the utility had originally planned an allocation equivalent to 100 megawatts for the project, then informed Vantage after construction began that the power would not be available for “five to seven years.” Faced with hundreds of millions of dollars already committed to the site, Tench said the company built an independent, on-site natural-gas power plant and commissioned it “within 18 months,” placing that data center into service for a major customer.

Why it matters: Testimony illustrated how long interconnection and delivery timelines can force data-center developers to deploy local generation to meet contractual and customer timelines, adding cost and local emissions and complicating planners’ expectations.

Details from testimony

- On-site plant: Tench said Vantage’s Virginia site was fortunate to sit above “a high volume, high pressure, natural gas line,” which allowed a rapid build of on-site generation operating “completely independent of the grid.” He described that arrangement as effectively operating in “island mode.”

- Mobile generation strategy: In subsequent questioning, Tench said Vantage has invested in a supply chain of turbines and reciprocating natural-gas engines that can be deployed on trailers for two to three years as a temporary solution while awaiting grid interconnection.

- Transition plan: Tench told the committee Vantage’s preference is always to connect to the public grid when utilities can provide a firm commitment; the company pairs grid-sourced power with emergency backup generation at most sites.

Direct quotes

- “We were left no choice,” Tench said of the Virginia project change in planned utility allocation.

- “We designed, built and commissioned a power plant … within 18 months,” he told the committee.

Senators' follow-up and context

Senators on the committee pressed Tench on alternatives such as wind, solar and nuclear; Tench replied that in the Virginia case the parcel could not accommodate those options and that the on-site solution was the only practical way to meet the project’s delivery commitments. He also endorsed efforts to speed interconnection and permitting and to expand transmission so developers can rely on grid power rather than temporary local plants.

What the hearing did not include

There was no formal regulatory decision recorded at the hearing about the Virginia project. The testimony described one developer’s operational experience and was offered as evidence in a broader policy discussion about timeline pressures, interconnection reform, and transmission investment.","Jeff Tench of Vantage described a Virginia project where utility changes in allocation pushed the company to build an on-site natural-gas power plant in 18 months and said Vantage is also buying mobile gas turbines to bridge multi-year interconnection gaps.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6157977,"Senate hearing: witnesses warn U.S. grid may be unready for surge in electricity demand from AI and data centers",7393,223000,7616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5462484-d81ec6f59f05baf349f8bcf1a20e4230&start=223&end=7616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5462484-d81ec6f59f05baf349f8bcf1a20e4230/thumbnail_223000.jpg","/articles/6157977/Senate-hearing-witnesses-warn-US-grid-may-be-unready-for-surge-in-electricity-demand-from-AI-and-data-centers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6157977-854cb4d7474386e2a1cf9a616242f732/orig.mp4?Expires=1773542190&Signature=Purm-cn-VVFdDy8MTwJsuOYSlMu8cfJ2ojJ31tFGftGbOosOQMT-ve3VA8DD53w2uucgYW3t7wiAtAxtTMHsfhq-yyM9Dc6LREFlN~mwEl7Vrof~7MuhXqEmXV792QRdrNo3p9pxXQCpNyCiiktInTt45KS0qBR~oWiD6~IOauAa8EPEDptiuEmvYR2vk9PEXt9BihNUE333K12~UyZQtSjpHri3Fdb6EF7PpuAKvH32NJJRELrQ0DnUnFxenT~aAV8KgvD4m1z3UbebS5AGacat7H~L1HBYoZeJHvKS3tQ95~lMGYW4yq6RWBq16S5f8pwlMK9h39rG7AxDKVojRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Lee opened the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing by telling witnesses and colleagues that the hearing would focus on rising electricity demand and the nation’s preparedness to meet it.

The hearing featured testimony from Peter Huntsman, chairman and CEO of Huntsman Corporation; Jeff Tench, executive vice president of Vantage Data Centers; and Rob Gramlich, president of Grid Strategies. All three said electricity demand is growing rapidly and that the power system needs faster, coordinated action on transmission, interconnection and siting if the United States is to avoid reliability problems and rising costs.

The central concern raised by witnesses was that several structural trends — the rapid buildout of AI data centers, a rebound in domestic manufacturing and accelerating electrification of vehicles and buildings — are outpacing the growth assumptions that guided planning for generation and transmission. Chairman Lee said, “America’s electricity demand is surging. It’s not creeping up. It’s surging.”

Why it matters: witnesses and several senators warned that if the grid and permitting systems do not adapt, consumers could see higher bills and regions could face outages at times of peak demand. Rob Gramlich said transmission is “the great integrator of all resources,” and argued that faster, higher-capacity lines and better interregional planning would allow the United States to use a broader mix of generation more affordably.

Major witness points and evidence

- Scale of demand: Witnesses reported large commercial requests for power from hyperscale data centers, with Jeff Tench noting customers seeking “1 gigawatt or more” for AI campuses. The committee record and witnesses cited federal analyses showing strong near-term demand growth.

- Retirements vs. additions: Chairman Lee cited FERC data that he said show 24 gigawatts of coal-fired generation slated to retire by 2028 while only about 5 gigawatts of new gas-fired power is expected to come online in the same window. Gramlich and others stressed that markets and state planning will determine what is added but that constrained transmission and long lead times on certain equipment are bottlenecks.

- Interconnection, permitting and supply-chain delays: Tench and others described interconnection timelines, fragmented permitting and turbine lead times as reasons projects are delayed. Tench told the committee that interconnection offers can move years behind data-center development timelines, forcing developers to pursue short-term generation solutions in some cases.

- Role of renewables and storage: Witnesses acknowledged that wind, solar and batteries have been the fastest-growing additions to capacity. The EIA figures cited in testimony said nearly 49 gigawatts of new capacity was installed in 2024 and that a large share has been renewables plus storage. Gramlich and others argued those resources improve affordability and can be reliable when paired with transmission and flexible resources, while Huntsman emphasized the need for firm, dispatchable sources for industrial consumers.

- Policy frictions: Multiple senators and witnesses flagged recent federal actions that could alter project timelines, including a Department of the Interior memo requiring additional review of wind and solar projects on federal lands and ongoing changes to tax-credit programs. Witnesses warned that regulatory uncertainty and rapid policy shifts can reduce investment certainty.

Quotes from the hearing

- “We have spent much of the last 20 years shutting down the generation that can actually meet that demand,” said Chairman Lee during his opening remarks.

- “The greatest barrier we collectively face to our country's leadership on artificial intelligence today is timely access to reliable electric power,” Jeff Tench testified.

- “Transmission is also the main thing we need right now. It has the highest impact,” Rob Gramlich told the committee.

Senators' concerns and exchanges

Committee members from both parties pressed witnesses on practical steps. Senator Heinrich emphasized aggressive interconnection and permitting reform, and Senator King pushed for quicker deployment of grid-enhancing technologies and reconductoring to increase throughput without new rights-of-way. Several senators — including Wyden, Cortez Masto and Risch — discussed the balance among incentives, technology neutrality and the mix of resources (renewables, gas, nuclear) states and customers will choose.

What the hearing did not decide

The hearing gathered testimony and questions but did not produce legislation or committee votes. Senators and witnesses repeatedly described solutions that would require coordinated action by Congress, federal agencies, states, regional planners and private investors.

Looking ahead

Witnesses urged Congress and federal agencies to prioritize transmission buildout, interconnection reform and regulatory certainty for investors. Several senators signaled interest in bipartisan work on permitting and transmission authorities that would shorten timelines while preserving environmental review. The committee set deadlines for senators to submit questions and statements for the record, signaling ongoing attention to the issue.","Witnesses at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing told members that rapid growth in AI compute and data centers, retiring thermal capacity, and permitting and interconnection delays risk shortages, higher prices and localized outages without faster transmission and permitting reforms.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Grid experts tell Senate faster high‑voltage transmission, reconductoring and grid-enhancing tech are the quickest ways to add capacity

Vantage Data Centers says interconnection delays forced on-site gas plant in Virginia; company uses mobile turbines as short-term option

Senate hearing: witnesses warn U.S. grid may be unready for surge in electricity demand from AI and data centers