Issue 215: Powering Up Policy Decisions for the US Electric Grid

A Note from RFF’s Newly Appointed President

Hello to our Resources readers.

For the electric power grid, key guidance and rules from federal regulators may shape the future of US electricity for years to come. For instance, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is working to implement its anticipated new rule on electricity transmission planning and cost allocation. The US Environmental Protection Agency recently released final guidelines under Section 111 of the Clean Energy Air Act, specifying emissions guidelines for existing coal plants and new natural gas plants. And states already are working toward improving an aging grid and decarbonization goals.

In this issue of Resources magazine, we amplify some of the work we’ve been doing across the Electric Power Program at Resources for the Future (RFF), led by Senior Fellow Karen Palmer. In a Resources Radio episode at the start of this year, Karen lamented that we hadn’t seen much movement in 2023 on overcoming key barriers to investment in the electric power grid. Despite the election year, we anticipate substantial movement in 2024 toward net-zero emissions, and RFF researchers, along with our partners, are tracking and analyzing it all moving forward.

We hope you’ll stay plugged into RFF as we continue to power our rigorous research and engage policymakers on widespread decarbonization of the electric power sector—a necessary step toward addressing climate change.

Billy Pizer
President and CEO, Resources for the Future