How does onshore electricity transmission permitting work?

​​According to a 2024 report (1) by the Clean Air Task Force,  a three- to fourfold increase in transmission capacity will be required to meet nationwide demand over the next thirty years, much of which to accommodate for the growing offshore wind generation industry. For offshore wind projects, power is harvested from offshore turbines then transmitted to an offshore substation facility. Afterwards, that energy is sent through undersea cables to onshore substations, before being spread to the energy grid for use. Massive increases in transmission infrastructure are needed in order to meet these emerging needs. Obtaining federal permitting for onshore electricity transmission is often slow and complex. Navigating this process required multiple federal agencies and regulations resulting in many delays imposing significant project impacts.

To increase efficiency and make the process more effective, The U.S. Department of Energy released the Coordinated Interagency Transmission Authorizations and Permits Program (2) (CITAP) with the goal of cutting federal permitting average timelines in half. The CITAP allows developers to track the status of their application and communicate with the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) directly ensuring a more efficient review process. Click here (3) to read the Department of Energy's Final Rule on the Coordinated Interagency Transmission Authorizations and Permits Program.

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In order to get a transmission infrastructure permit (4), an application needs to be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). They evaluate whether to issue permits for the construction or modification of electric transmission facilities. Their review consists of determining the interstate benefits of the project and approve the siting of the facilities. The Commission staff consult with agencies to determine potential environmental impacts of the proposed project under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). With recent improvements being made to transmission permitting, protecting core functions of NEPA are ensured. During swifter permit approvals it is important that the enhancing processes are made with consideration to not degrade community protections such as those affected by legacy energy infrastructure.

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Click here (5) to watch a video from the U.S. Department of Energy about Energy Transmission.

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