ITC

A Failing Grade for Energy Infrastructure Hurts U.S. Competitiveness

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The nation got a wakeup call recently when the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released its Report Card for America’s infrastructure. Listed among the failing grades for roads, bridges and ports, was a grim evaluation of our energy infrastructure.

Giving it a grade of D+, the Report Card detailed the need for investment throughout the nation’s electricity system, but focused primarily on the aging electric grid. The nation’s power grid, which consists of a system of interconnected power plants, transmission and distribution facilities, some of which date back to the 1880s, is in dire need of repair. Keep reading →

Published April 4, 2013 at 10:30 AM

Could More Midwest Wind Really Save Ratepayers Billions?

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Additional wind power in the US Midwest could cut wholesale electricity prices by more than 25%, saving a typical household as much as $200 a year, proponents of new renewable energy capacity in the region said.

The analysis for the advocacy group Americans for a Clean Energy Grid found that if 20 GW was added to the existing 10 GW of wind capacity in the MISO region, consumers’ power costs would decline by $3 billion to $6.9 billion a year after the costs of new transmission is factored in. Keep reading →

Published May 24, 2012 at 8:00 AM

Blackout Response: Example of a Power Outage Resolution

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Most people don’t know what goes on behind the scenes when a power blackout occurs. This informative video illustrates exactly how a real-life extreme weather event was handled by mid-continent transmission company ITC.

On April 26, 2009, high winds in Michigan blew down 40 utility poles, which then caused two major transmission lines to “trip out.” The video follows the power restoration process step-by-step and includes footage from inside the control room. Keep reading →

Published April 5, 2012 at 1:10 PM