Getting Alternative Transmission Technologies to Scale

The report examines the potential of advanced transmission technologies (ATTs), including grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors, to expand US grid capacity. While pilots have demonstrated success—such as increasing capacity by 40% in the Midwest—widespread adoption is hindered by risk aversion, financial disincentives, a lack of integration into planning processes, and poor cross-utility coordination. The author suggests that large corporate energy users can accelerate deployment through policy advocacy at federal and state levels and by leveraging their influence to catalyze collaboration across different utility service territories.

• Advanced transmission technologies (ATTs), comprising grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors, provide a cost-effective way to increase grid capacity and reduce congestion compared to other options.
• Pilot projects in the United States have demonstrated the efficacy of ATTs: dynamic line rating (DLR) increased capacity by 40% on some Midwest lines, and advanced power flow control (APFC) in upstate New York freed up 185 MW of capacity, benefiting approximately 130,000 homes.
• A 2015 deployment of ACCC advanced conductors by AEP across 240 miles of transmission lines doubled capacity and was estimated to reduce line losses by 30% without causing service disruptions.
• Scaling ATTs is currently blocked by two primary systemic issues: the failure to integrate these technologies into long-term capacity planning (using them instead only for operational risk reduction) and a lack of coordination between utilities that share transmission corridors.
• Corporate energy users can accelerate ATT adoption by pushing for legislative requirements to evaluate these tools in integrated resource planning (IRP) and by acting as a catalyst for collaboration across different utility jurisdictions.

APA

RMI (2025). Getting Alternative Transmission Technologies to Scale. https://rmi.org/resources/getting-advanced-transmission-technologies-to-scale/

Chicago

RMI. Getting Alternative Transmission Technologies to Scale. 2025. https://rmi.org/resources/getting-advanced-transmission-technologies-to-scale/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Getting Alternative Transmission Technologies to Scale |date=18 March 2025 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/getting-advanced-transmission-technologies-to-scale/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2025getting, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Getting Alternative Transmission Technologies to Scale}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/getting-advanced-transmission-technologies-to-scale/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }