Major companies call on state policymakers to prioritize transmission reform, expansion

With American electricity demand soaring and businesses and consumers struggling with high utility rates, more than 15 major companies today called on state governments across the country to take action to improve and expand the nation’s aging transmission infrastructure to deliver affordable, reliable power across their economies. 

Akamai Technologies, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Aspen One, Bekaert, CommonSpirit Health, DSM, Eileen Fisher, Grove Collaborative, Hackensack Meridian Health, HASI, IKEA US, Levi Strauss & Co, Nestlé, New Belgium Brewing Co., REI Co-op, Siemens, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. are among the companies to have signed a statement calling on state governors, lawmakers, and policymakers across the U.S. citing the need for cost-effective transmission investments to “meet the growing demand of energy consumers.” 

“Upgrading our transmission infrastructure is vital to bringing our electric grid into the 21st century and ensuring reliable, affordable electricity to power our businesses and the economy,” the statement reads. 

Signatories represent companies from a variety of industries and from states across the U.S., underscoring the economy-wide need for grid upgrades. 

"Grove Collaborative is committed to making customers' homes and the home we share healthier," said Kaley Cross, sustainability manager at Grove Collaborative. "This includes making transmission infrastructure improvements to deliver clean power at scale and meet our energy needs sustainably - not just as individual homes or businesses but as a community. We are proud to support and advocate for state policies that invest in critical infrastructure, allowing us to meet our collective energy that align with our broader environmental and human health mission." 

"Growing electricity demand is in some ways a sign of a healthy economy, but without solutions to ensure it is delivered affordably and reliably, it will pose challenges to businesses,” said Hugh Welsh, president and general counsel, dsm-firmenich North America. “With facilities in states from coast to coast, dsm-firmenich is keenly aware that this challenge spans the entire U.S. State policymakers have a unique opportunity to lead by investing in the transmission infrastructure we need to power our business and serve our customers." 

“As a major manufacturer and leader in developing advanced steel core conductors, Bekaert builds on the legacy of steel core conductors that have been the most reliable solution for the electric grid since their inception in 1908,” said Dan Berkowitz, Bekaert energy strategy & policy lead. “We look forward to working with policymakers, utilities, and grid operators to advance efficient, cost-effective transmission technologies, including ACSS/TW conductors, to meet the demands of an expanding electricity system.” 

“A-Basin, and so many in the ski industry, need a stable, wintery climate and reliable electricity to run our businesses,” said Mike Nathan, sustainability manager, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. “Ski resorts, which are often the largest employers, are found in the most rural and remote areas across the country. That’s why we are supporting legislation like Colorado SB127 which will ensure that our electrical infrastructure can keep up with demand and encourage the addition of reliable renewables to our grid. These are critical needs in our industry. We are thrilled to be joined by so many peers supporting similar legislature in other states.” 

The statement focuses on two main areas to expand transmission capacity. First, signatories called on policymakers to embrace short-term solutions to increase capacity through upgrades to existing transmission infrastructure, pairing investments in equipment and software that move electricity more efficiently with policies that remove bureaucratic barriers for the installation of these technologies and require utilities to consider their usage. 

But, noting that merely improving existing infrastructure will not be enough to meet growing demand, the companies also called on policymakers to explore pathways to building new transmission infrastructure, by reforming what is often a “lengthy and cumbersome process.” For example, they wrote, states should make it easier to build transmission lines within existing rights of way, like highway and railroad corridors; prioritize infrastructure in strategic locations where energy resources are abundant and/or require additional grid capacity to come online; and streamline the roles and processes across state agencies for transmission siting without compromising critical reviews. 

The statement, organized by Ceres, a nonprofit that works with investors and businesses on clean energy solutions, comes as state leaders across the U.S. vow to tackle cost-of-living issues, and especially higher electricity bills. The suite of solutions identified in the statement reflect opportunities to tackle energy affordability while helping states meet their climate goals by more rapidly deploying cost-effective technologies through pragmatic policy. 

“A strong grid is at the heart of the modern economy. Businesses and residents alike need reliable and affordable electricity, and states need energy infrastructure to thrive in the 21st-century economy,” said Mel Mackin, director of state policy, Ceres. “That’s why major employers from regions across the country and industries across the economy are calling on state policymakers to prioritize grid improvements this year. As governors, their administrations and legislatures take on pressing cost-of-living issues, they must prioritize improving and expanding transmission infrastructure.” 

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Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable world. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line—changing markets and sectors from the inside out. For more information, visit ceres.org.