REWIRE Act to Modernize US Power Grid, Streamline Projects Introduced

A new bipartisan piece of legislation, called the Reconductoring Existing Wires for Infrastructure Reliability and Expansion (REWIRE) Act, aims to modernize the US electric grid and meet predicted increases in electricity demand. 

Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) said in a joint press release that their bill would cut permitting delays, incentivize transmission upgrades and help lower utility bills and increase reliability for families and businesses.

After two decades of sluggish growth, electricity demand is projected to rise by as much as 5.7% by 2030—the fastest increase since the 1960s, according to the release.

Under the legislation, rather than building from scratch, upgrade existing transmission lines with advanced conductors that can double capacity (a process known as reconductoring). By reducing congestion and bypassing permitting requirements, reconductoring could reduce grid costs by $85 billion by 2035 and $180 billion by 2050.  

“We’re up against the clock when it comes to meeting America’s growing energy needs. Increasing the capacity of the grid by accelerating the permitting process and incentivizing practices like reconductoring will not only allow us to connect new and affordable clean energy to the grid—it’ll also save consumers money,” Welch said. “I’m proud to partner with Senator McCormick on this bipartisan effort to upgrade America’s grid and meet the energy demand of the future.” 

“Electricity demand in Pennsylvania and across America is rising rapidly and that requires innovative solutions to strengthen our electric grid and cut through the bureaucracy that holding us back,” McCormick said. “The bipartisan REWIRE Act is exactly the kind of common-sense fix we need by using the infrastructure we already have, bringing down costs, and stopping years of unnecessary permitting delays from standing in the way of real progress.” 

The bill has the support of:  American Clean Power (ACP); American Conservation Coalition Action (ACC Action); AMP Coalition; Allegheny Conference on Community Development; American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE); Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action); Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES); ClearPath Action; Conservative Energy Network; CTC Global; Electricity Consumers Resource Council (ELCON); Eos Energy; EQT Corp.; Foundation for American Innovation (FAI); Grid Action; GridWise Alliance; National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA); Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); New American Industrial Alliance (NAIA); Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association and Allegheny Electric Cooperative; PPL Corp.; Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE); Siemens; Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA); The Nature Conservancy; Third Way; and the Vermont Electric Power Co. (VELCO).

“NEMA applauds the introduction of the bipartisan Reconductoring Existing Wires for Infrastructure Reliability and Expansion (REWIRE) Act, which will not only cut red tape to accelerate deployment of new poles and wires, but support adoption of GETs and advanced conductors that enable transmission system operators to maximize the value of existing networks," according to a press release from NEMA. “Dynamic line ratings, power flow controllers, topology optimization, reconductoring, and other commercially available, domestically produced grid-enhancing technologies offer a means toward immediate transmission capacity additions – and improved grid reliability and resilience outcomes."