Lt. Governor Carney Praises Department of Energy Decision to Reconsider Designation of Proposed Electric Transmission Corridor Through Delaware

Lt. Governor Urges Consideration of State and Local Input

Lt. Governor John Carney today praised the Department of Energy (DOE) for its decision to reconsider designating a mid-Atlantic National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC), a portion of which would run through Delaware, but he also urged the DOE to delay implementation of the program for at least a year to allow enough time for additional input from states.

"As I said in my letter to the Energy Department last month, the designation is ill-conceived and premature," the Lt. Governor said. "A decision like this shouldn't be made absent a national energy policy that addresses global climate change, and it shouldn't be made without state and local input. I'm very happy they are rethinking the previous ruling, but I hope this reconsideration includes reaching out to states, including Delaware."

NIETCs are areas of the country that are identified as "congested" in the United States and in need of additional electricity capacity. NIETCs were created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was passed in an effort to respond to reliability concerns in these areas designated by the DOE. This Act gave DOE and the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unprecedented authority to site interstate transmission lines in these NIETCs with little or no input from States or the public.

"One of my biggest concerns is that this designation could create more dependence on heavily polluting sources of electricity and make local generation alternatives less attractive and redundant," the Lt. Governor said. "It runs counter to forward thinking energy policies to promote sustainable "green" energy alternatives that are right for Delaware and the nation, and it would do nothing to address demand management and conservation.

"I know there are some arguments for moving ahead, but they need to be considered against the very compelling arguments against doing so. Upgrades to the transmission system are needed, but they cannot be made absent a comprehensive decision-making process that weighs all relevant views and issues."

"While I appreciate that the DOE has recognized that further discussions are necessary, I am concerned that they have not delayed the federal preemption of projects that have not been approved by the states."

The Lt. Governor said he would ask the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Attorney General's Office to monitor the issue and identify opportunities for the state to provide input.

"We need to ensure that Delawareans have a voice in this process," the Lt. Governor said.