SPEED and Reliability Act Would Reduce Blackouts and Energy Bills

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Today, Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA) and Andy Barr (R-KY) introduced the SPEED and Reliability Act to supply more electricity, prevent blackouts amid more extreme weather and cut costs for consumers.

The SPEED and Reliability Act will help get more electricity online and reduce electricity bills by requiring the federal commission responsible for transmission regulations to quickly advance transmission projects with the most potential to connect different parts of the country and increase reliability. The bill also will ensure the most important projects receive the necessary reviews and support from federal agencies.

"We need to get more clean, reliable, cheap energy onto our grid, and we need the transmission to get it to people's homes," said Joanna Slaney, vice president for political and government affairs at Environmental Defense Fund. "Families are paying too much for their electric bill each month, and extreme weather is causing more frequent blackouts. The SPEED and Reliability Act will supply more electricity to our homes, prevent blackouts during intense storms and cut costs for consumers. This proposal finds important common ground, and we look forward to working with the bill's authors to identify more robust community engagement measures."

Enviornmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp recently authored an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal discussing how American energy dominance requires thoughtful transmission reform and clean energy.