Johnson hoping to jumpstart energy grid construction

The U.S. Senate Energy Committee spent Wednesday considering legislation that would jumpstart the construction of highvoltage electricity transmission lines, a move that Sen. Tim Johnson says is needed for South Dakota to realize its renewable energy potential.

Johnson, during a conference call with the media Wednesday morning, said his focus is to ensure that the country has a 21st century electric superhighway. When such a system is in place, South Dakota will benefit because of its vast wind-energy potential, he said.

“This is an important part of our new energy strategy that focuses more on home-grown renewable energy instead of imported energy,” Johnson said. “Wind energy resources in South Dakota are among the best in the nation, producing low-cost renewable energy.”

The committee Wednesday considered legislation that would reshape how the nation will build future interstate electricity lines. Johnson said that if approved, the legislation will be added to the comprehensive energy bill the Senate likely will take up later this summer.

According to a release distributed after Johnson’s conference call Wednesday morning, the provision would create a planning process to identify how to build what he calls an electric grid “backbone” across state borders and within various regions of the country. The bill would reform the process for siting interstate electricity lines to reduce the likelihood that lines crossing several states are hampered by delays.

South Dakota ranks No. 4 in wind-energy potential, but most of that potential is unrealized because of infrastructure problems. In recent years, Johnson and others in Congress have lamented the general lack of ability for the state to transport its wind energy out of the state and to large markets that need it.

Still, wind farms are quickly developing in South Dakota, including a 34-tower farm that went into operation this year near Wessington Springs. Another, much larger, farm is proposed to be placed either near White Lake or Winner, and other farms have been constructed throughout central and eastern South Dakota.

The bill considered by the Senate Energy Committee also would, for the first time, direct federal energy regulators to develop rules that ensure each region is paying its share of the costs to build interstate lines. Johnson said that at present, the costs of financing new lines fall disproportionately on the regions of the country with abundant wind resources.

Johnson said that means residents of the East and South are not paying their fair share to have wind-generated energy delivered to them.

He said the legislation “promotes regional cooperation.”

Tags: energy grid, news, johnson