Feds approve electricity reforms expected to bolster renewable power 

The federal government on Monday approved a rule that could bolster renewable energy on the electric grid. 

The rule, from an independent panel known as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), seeks to address a longstanding wait to get renewable energy hooked up.

Many power projects now are held up in backlogs known as “interconnection queues” where they are waiting for approval to be built and attached to the grid.

This issue and the rule to address it are not exclusive to renewables, but the vast majority of the projects that are waiting for approval are renewable. 

The new rule seeks to address this issue by setting a standard for regional power planning. It was approved in a 2-1 vote, with the panel’s two Democrats voting in favor and one Republican voting against it.

The rule will require providers to plan for regional power needs on a basis that the rule describes as “forward-looking.” 

This includes identifying needs caused by the anticipated change in the energy mix — as coal declines and renewables grow — and making them consider a 20-year timeline.

It also sets up a system where utilities need to get agreement from states to determine how the costs of power lines should be distributed as part of this planning process. 

Developing.