CHICAGO (December 12, 2024)—The Midwest is going to see a historic, nearly $22 billion worth of investments in its electric transmission system following a vote today by the board of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the organization charged with maintaining a reliable electric transmission system across 15 states, including Illinois. This milestone in MISO’s Long Range Transmission Planning (LRTP) process will drive significant grid modernization, enabling a clean energy buildout that prioritizes reliability and delivers measurable benefits for consumers.
Three primary projects are planned in Illinois, totaling $2.9 billion in investments to allow more electricity to reach consumers at lower costs. MISO conducted a rigorous stakeholder engagement process to inform a benefit-cost analysis, determining these projects will benefit Illinois consumers for decades at a rate of $1.20 to $3.00 for every dollar spent—a conservative estimate given that the impacts of reduced air pollution and public health gains were not factored into the calculation.
Below is a statement from James Gignac, Midwest senior policy manager for the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
“Illinois set ambitious decarbonization goals in the Clean Energy Jobs Act and MISO’s grid modernization investments will help achieve them. The nearly $3 billion in projects will be an economic boon for the region. Beyond the initial thousands of jobs and $577 million to $3.2 billion in economic output, the renewable energy that will ultimately connect to these new transmission lines will bring additional jobs by the tens of thousands and infrastructure investments by the billions. This shows that smart, science-based grid planning isn’t just good for consumers’ health, wallets and the environment, it’s also good for business.”
Below is a statement by Sam Gomberg, associate director of transmission policy with the Climate and Energy Program at UCS. Gomberg has been engaged in the LRTP process for years via stakeholder meetings, submitting public comments and engaging directly with MISO staff and leadership.
“The MISO board of directors today approved a cost-effective plan that will benefit consumers for decades to come by investing in a reliable, resilient and clean energy future. Transmission infrastructure is key to reducing heat-trapping, health-harming emissions through economy-wide electrification.
“In an industry first, MISO developed robust ‘benefit metrics’ to quantify how grid investments will deliver for consumers. While decreased carbon emissions are important, ratepayers will also save money due to fewer outages during extreme weather, recoup savings through reduced energy losses and more.
“For over a decade, UCS has been advocating for comprehensive grid investments backed by the best available science. While MISO’s Illinois customers are celebrating, residents of Chicago and Northern Illinois are served by a different regional transmission organization, PJM Interconnection. As their customers miss out on these important benefits, laggards like PJM should be taking notes.”
Additional UCS resources: