Developing a modern electric grid capable of meeting all electrification goals will be a holistic effort. DOE is committed to robust engagement and collaboration across Federal agencies, DOE’s National Labs, states, American Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives, industry, unions, local communities, environmental justice organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Building a Better Grid Initiative. These activities should not be focused on any one project, but on a national, coordinated effort. 

Transmission Siting and Permitting Efforts 

The siting and permitting of interstate and interregional high-voltage transmission generally requires action by many different authorities governing the federal, state, local, and Tribal lands and private lands, that facilities will pass through. Projects involving multiple agencies are subject to a wide array of processes and procedural requirements for compliance with legal mandates and multiple authorizations. DOE works to streamline siting and permitting processes to speed  development and conduct processes more efficiently, with clear expectations and predictable timelines.

Puerto Rico Grid Recovery and Modernization

Since the hurricanes in 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy has been providing Puerto Rico energy stakeholders with tools, training, and modeling support to maintain initiatives that focus on mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. DOE’s Puerto Rico Recovery and Grid Modernization Team, together with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, works to strengthen Puerto Rico’s electric grid while supporting efforts to reach their renewable energy target of 100% by 2050, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

Offshore Wind Transmission Stakeholder Convenings 

Together with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), DOE is hosting a series of stakeholder convenings focusing on Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission. The goal of these workshop is to collect input and collaborate on strategies to enable the development of sustainable and equitable offshore wind transmission that minimizes impacts to ocean co-users and marine environments and creates benefits for coastal and underserved communities, and the Nation as a whole. Held in support of the Administration's interagency goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of OSW by 2030, as well as future deployment in 2050 and beyond, these workshops offer a platform to collect stakeholder input to the development of DOE and BOEM’s recommendations and action plan for addressing near-, medium-, and long-term OSW transmission challenges.  

National Transmission Study Tribal Engagement 

As one of the first steps in the Building a Better Grid Initiative, DOE is conducting the National Transmission Planning Study (NTP Study) to identify pathways for necessary large-scale transmission system buildouts that meet regional and national interests. Incorporating feedback from a wide range of interested parties, including tribal governments, tribal enterprises, tribal utilities, and American Indian communities will be critical to identifying pathways for necessary large-scale transmission system buildouts that meet community, regional, and national objectives. Incorporating tribal input and perspectives into the system modeling and algorithms used to develop the NTP Study will help form test scenarios, refine input data, and address issues of energy justice.