WATCH: Padilla Unveils New Effort to Lower Energy Costs, Strengthen Transmission Lines

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, joined an ENR hearing to discuss critically needed improvements to the grid and unveil his new legislative effort to modernize transmission infrastructure, reduce skyrocketing energy costs, and meet surging electricity demand.
The draft transmission bill — co-led by U.S. Senators Padilla, John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Angus King (I-Maine) — would improve how the United States builds next-generation transmission lines while strengthening existing systems to make them more cost-effective, efficient, and reliable. Building on the bipartisanEnergy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, the draft legislation includes new additions to support implementation of advanced grid upgrades and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines, planning for demand growth, improving interconnection procedures, and reauthorization of grid resilience grant programs.
During today’s hearing, Padilla stressed the urgency of the “State of the Bulk Power System” discussion as families pay high prices for an outdated, overworked, and increasingly vulnerable electric grid. He questioned Dr. Liza Reed, Director of Climate and Energy Policy at the Niskanen Center, about the significant ratepayer and reliability benefits of interregional HVDC transmission lines and procedural roadblocks preventing these lines from being established. He asked Todd Snitchler, President & CEO of the Electric Power Supply Association, about the importance of strengthening interconnection procedures to speed up the connection of power generators to the grid.
Video of Padilla’s questioning is availablehere.
Full text of the discussion draft is availablehere.
Key Excerpts:
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