Julie Fedorchak

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Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, the High-Capacity Grid Act. America's electricity demand is growing at a pace faster than it ever has. Domestic manufacturing, large load growth, electrification, and investments in aging infrastructure are placing unprecedented demands on our grid, and it is contributing to rising utility bills for American families. When people think about their electric bills, they often focus on the cost of generating power. However, transmission costs, the wires that carry the power, are one of the fastest growing components of those bills. According to research from the Brattle Group and the Energy Information Administration, transmission costs have increased by more than 180 percent since 2005 while generation costs have declined. Meanwhile, permitting and constructing new transmission lines can take years. On average, it would take more than 4 years just to permit a new power line, and sometimes over a decade, before a single shovel hits the ground. Of course Congress must continue working to reform our broken permitting system. However, even with those reforms, we cannot permit and build our way out of this challenge fast enough. We must make the most out of the existing infrastructure we have already built. That is exactly what the High-Capacity Grid Act will help us do. First, it requires utilities building or rebuilding interstate transmission lines to use the best available conductors when practical. Second, it encourages advanced conductors that carry significantly more electricity using existing structures and rights-of-way. Third, it protects ratepayers by requiring utilities to justify using lower performing conductors before passing those costs onto families. This is a commonsense approach. That is why this bill earned unanimous support from the Energy and Commerce Committee. Advanced conductors can dramatically increase the amount of electricity delivered over existing lines. It can also improve efficiency, safety, and reliability. In many cases, these technologies can double transmission capacity without requiring new rights-of-way or years of additional permitting. That is good for grid reliability. It is good for affordability, and it is good for hardworking families who ultimately pay the bill. That is a no-brainer. The High-Capacity Grid Act is about squeezing every possible megawatt out of the infrastructure we already have, and it is about delivering more power at the lowest possible cost. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Guthrie and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Latta for their leadership and for helping advance this legislation to the House floor. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.