Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Willie Swett’s signal that the agency is eyeing incentives for grid-enhancing technologies could mark a pivotal shift in how the United States manages its transmission infrastructure. At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Swett placed GETs alongside data center load growth, transmission sector competition, and PJM Interconnection governance reform as key priorities. For an industry long accustomed to debating new transmission lines that take a decade or more to build, the prospect of extracting more capacity from existing wires through software and hardware upgrades is both pragmatic and overdue.
Grid-enhancing technologies—including dynamic line ratings, advanced power flow controllers, and topology optimization—allow operators to push more power through existing corridors without constructing new towers. They can relieve congestion, integrate renewables faster, and defer capital-intensive projects. With data centers and electric vehicles driving a surge in demand that the North American Electric Reliability Corporation projects could reach 4.6% annual growth—well above historic norms—FERC’s interest is timely. The agency has already taken steps in Order No. 2023 to speed interconnection, but GETs offer a complementary path: lower cost, shorter deployment timelines, and reduced community opposition.
The hearing also highlighted ongoing friction in transmission competition. Independent transmission companies have long argued that incumbent utilities stifle innovation through exclusive rights to build and operate new projects. FERC’s pending rulemaking on transmission planning and cost allocation, combined with Swett’s openness to GET incentives, suggests the commission may push for more competitive procurement. That could unlock investment from non-traditional players and spur faster adoption of advanced technologies, particularly in regions like MISO and PJM where congestion costs run into billions annually.
PJM governance reform remains a thornier issue. Stakeholder disputes—especially over capacity market design and generator interconnection—have slowed the RTO’s ability to respond to reliability concerns. Swett’s acknowledgement of the need for structural changes signals that FERC may take a more active role in reshaping how PJM and other RTOs make decisions. If coupled with GET incentives and streamlined transmission planning, such reforms could help the grid keep pace with the electrification and data center buildout that is reshaping load forecasts from coast to coast.
What emerges from the hearing is a recognition that the grid’s next chapter will not be written solely by new transmission lines. The combination of GETs, market redesign, and competitive procurement can wring more value from existing assets. For investors and developers, the message is clear: watch FERC’s upcoming rulemakings closely. The era of maximizing every megawatt-mile of existing infrastructure may finally be arriving. Read the full report at Utility Dive.