Overview
Dave Raskin authored an article titled “Transmission Policy in Flux” for Public Utilities Fortnightly. The article, published in the May 2013 issue of the magazine, addresses the need for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to continue to pursue regulatory policies designed to incentivize investment in new transmission facilities. These policies have included rate incentives, mandatory transmission planning under open access tariffs and endorsement of merchant transmission. The article also explores reasons why building transmission is so difficult and what FERC, given its limited legal authority, can realistically do to further promote investment without additional legislative authority. The article emphasizes that a highly efficient bulk power system will be critical as the utility industry enters a period of competition from wireless alternatives.