Getting more energy on the wires
Liza Reed, Electricity Transmission Research Manager at the Niskanen Center, discusses technologies and policies needed to expand the U.S. power grid. She explains the limitations of existing alternating current infrastructure and highlights high-voltage direct current (HVDC), composite-core conductors, and undergrounding as key solutions. Reed also addresses the critical role of interregional interconnections, citing the Texas grid isolation during Winter Storm Uri, and advocates for federal permitting reform to streamline the construction of new transmission lines.