Acadia Center Testimony in Support of House Bill 5573, Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs)

Acadia Center submitted written testimony to support legislation that would incentivize grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors in the state of Rhode Island, and reform certain siting processes for transmission projects at the Energy Facility Siting Board. Grid-Enhancing technologies and advanced conductors are critical hardware and software technologies that impact existing power lines, improving their efficiency at a lower cost and faster deployment rate compared to other technologies. Strengthening our existing transmission system is critical for Rhode Island's future energy resilience, and the current utility structure of investment doesn't incentivize consideration of low-cost technologies such as these compared to larger capital investments. And, there is a larger problem of transmission cost control and investment in our system writ large - for this reason, we are supporting the second part of this bill that focuses on the expansion of oversight at the Energy Facility Siting Board, while encouraging the streamlining of projects and integration of grid enhancing technologies as well.