The Western Transmission Expansion Coalition’s 10-year outlook has spurred talks about increased coordination among jurisdictions to upgrade or build 12,600 miles of transmission in the West and fueled calls for states to create a task force to streamline permitting and other issues.
That volume of transmission would cost approximately $60 billion over 10 years to meet the region’s forecast 30% increase in peak demand by 2035, according to WestTEC’s 10-year outlook. (See West Needs $60B in Transmission Ahead of 2035, WestTEC Finds.)
Another key finding is that coordinated action between states, utilities, developers and regional partners can help the West meet this challenge, Sarah Edmonds, CEO of Western Power Pool, told RTO Insider.
“What we’re hoping to see is continued collaboration and engagement among many members of that coalition to use the results of the study to inform planning, catalyze development and advance transmission projects,” Edmonds said. “As stakeholders or regulators weigh these potential projects, they can look at the study to gain a better understanding of why projects are needed and how they fit into the larger, regional picture, perhaps making the process a little easier than it would have been otherwise.”
The WestTEC effort, jointly facilitated by WPP and WECC, addresses long-term interregional transmission needs across the Western Interconnection. The 10-year planning horizon was released in February 2026. A 20-year outlook is slated for release later in 2026.
WestTEC’s main objective is to create an “actionable” transmission study by conducting integrated planning analysis across the Western Interconnection.
But to implement the report’s findings, the region must overcome “development, regulatory and financing challenges,” according to the report.
Coordination among states, utilities, developers and regional partners “can materially improve outcomes” by addressing a host of issues, such as cost allocation, procurement of transmission components, siting and permitting, the report states.
During a March 10 WECC meeting on the report, WECC board member Jacinda Woodward asked how stakeholders can “collectively help build momentum,” noting that without engagement on the report, “we’ll be talking about this in five years from now and then we’ll be in real trouble.”
Trade organizations RTO Insider spoke with similarly called for collaboration across state lines and appeared ready to build momentum.
For example, The Western Transmission Consortium (TWTC), which is referenced in the WestTEC report as a vehicle for collaboration, said it is “excited” to implement the findings and ultimately put “steel in the ground.”
Launched in 2024, TWTC is member-owned organization with a goal of bringing together various entities to build infrastructure across the West, according to its website.
“WestTEC set the table, and we will see whether the states and federal government are serious about building the transmission needed to meet the demands and policy imperatives of the 21st century,” Ray Gifford, TWTC co-founder, told RTO Insider in an email.
That sentiment was echoed by Gridworks Executive Director Matthew Tisdale, who said “one of the biggest barriers to moving these critical transmission projects forward is permitting across multiple jurisdictions.”
“States can lead by working together through a coordinated task force to streamline processes, reduce delays and deliver the transmission our region needs,” Tisdale said. He added that the organization “is actively working with states, developers and other leaders across the West who are willing to stand up such a team.”
‘Open for Business’
There is bipartisan support among federal lawmakers for energy infrastructure permitting legislation. The House passed a bill in late 2025 that would alter the National Environmental Policy Act to speed up permitting, and senators likewise are working on a permitting bill. (See Senate Hearing Shows Support, Potential Pitfalls for Permitting Legislation and House Passes SPEED Act to Quicken Infrastructure Permitting.)
Although the WestTEC team is not involved in policymaking, there is still time for stakeholders in the West to get involved, especially in activities related to the upcoming 20-year horizon, Edmonds said during the March 10 WECC meeting.
“We have defined already the scenarios we’re going to look at,” she said about the 20-year study. “But the devil is in the details, and there’s a lot more conversation about those details left to be had. I always leave with the invitation that WestTEC is a very open community and a marketplace of ideas. And we’re open for business.”
