Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has partially resolved disagreement over whether states have enough sway in its regional transmission planning rule.
Why it matters: The rule finalized 2–1 in May requires transmission providers to plan out 20 years into the future when determining who pays for power lines.
- The rule was greeted by Democrats and renewable energy developers seeking to connect to the grid.
- But GOP lawmakers and some states criticized it, contending they saw federal encroachment on their jurisdiction over the power grid.
Driving the news: GOP Commissioner Mark Christie partially concurred in a vote Thursday to uphold the rule while responding to requests for rehearing.
- Christie, a former state utility regulator, wrote a blistering dissent in defense of states' rights.
- But he praised some tweaks to the rule that give states more time to engage on a cost allocation formula and allow the commission to consider a state's suggested formula.
- States must also be consulted if transmission providers want to change the formula in the future, he said.
- "I think it's very responsive to states," Christie said of the updated rule.
