Why No State Stands Alone: The Shared Power of Regional Transmission

This briefing by RMI explains the critical role of regional transmission in the western grid, describing it as an interconnected system where states act as both importers and exporters of electricity to maintain reliability and affordability.

• The western grid operates as a shared, interconnected system where electricity is routed based on physics rather than political or utility boundaries, allowing states to support one another during crises and manage growing demand from data centers and manufacturing.
• Data from 2024 indicates that most major utilities across the 38 western balancing authorities functioned as both importers and exporters of electricity, with some states relying on imports for up to 70 percent of their electricity needs during the most challenging peak hours.
• Regional transmission is vital during extreme weather and equipment failures, as demonstrated by two 2024 events: a January cold snap where the Pacific Northwest imported an average of 4,700 MW during peak hours, and a July heat wave in Montana where NorthWestern Energy imported 59 percent of its demand after its largest generator failed.
• To address rising demand from AI and manufacturing, the West is implementing new transmission projects, including SunZia, Gateway, Greenlink, SWIP North, and Boardman to Hemingway, alongside expanded regional market cooperation.

APA

RMI (2025). Why No State Stands Alone: The Shared Power of Regional Transmission. https://rmi.org/resources/why-no-state-stands-alone-the-shared-power-of-regional-transmission/

Chicago

RMI. Why No State Stands Alone: The Shared Power of Regional Transmission. 2025. https://rmi.org/resources/why-no-state-stands-alone-the-shared-power-of-regional-transmission/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Why No State Stands Alone: The Shared Power of Regional Transmission |date=30 September 2025 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/why-no-state-stands-alone-the-shared-power-of-regional-transmission/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2025why, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Why No State Stands Alone: The Shared Power of Regional Transmission}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/why-no-state-stands-alone-the-shared-power-of-regional-transmission/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }