Why Pennsylvania
Need for more transmission
Ratepayers are facing rising electricity prices while new energy resources wait in lengthy interconnection queues and communities prepare for major load growth. Pennsylvania needs additional transmission capacity to support reliability and connect new energy resources more efficiently. As Pennsylvania works to maintain a reliable, affordable power system, policymakers have an opportunity to revisit barriers that limit the co-location of transmission in highway rights-of-way and other existing infrastructure corridors.
Siting opportunity
Transmission developers are undertaking significant work in Pennsylvania, as FirstEnergy plans to invest $15 billion and PPL Corporation is committed to contributing $6.8 billion to expanding and strengthening the grid over the next several years. These investments present a timely opportunity to reassess and modernize transmission planning. Building transmission in highway rights-of-way and other existing corridors can help Pennsylvania expand grid capacity while streamlining permitting and minimizing development on undisturbed land.
Challenges
Siting prohibition
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Design Manual (Part 5 — Utility Relocation) places strict limits on the longitudinal installation of utility corridors in limited-access state highway rights-of-way. PennDOT may issue a highway occupancy permit only when no practical alternative is available and other restrictive criteria are met. In practice, this framework creates a significant barrier to co-locating new transmission lines along highway corridors.
Our work
NextGen Highways is building a coalition of energy, environmental, consumer, labor, and other interests in Pennsylvania to explore policy options for lifting barriers to transmission co-location. This work includes identifying frameworks for effective engagement among utilities, transmission developers, and transportation authorities.