ISO-NE CEO discusses role of transmission in clean energy future in keynote at WIRES summer meeting

A robust transmission system is a critical pillar that will help support a reliable, clean energy future, ISO New England President and CEO Gordon van Welie said in a keynote address at the recent WIRES summer meeting in Newport, Rhode Island.

New England has vast renewable energy potential, van Welie said in his July 28 remarks, titled “The Four Pillars Needed for a Successful Clean Energy Transition, and the Critical Role of Transmission Infrastructure.” Harnessing that potential—and achieving the New England states’ clean energy goals while maintaining reliability—will require massive investment in the transmission system, he said.

But transmission alone cannot deliver the clean energy future, van Welie told attendees. “We also need to make sure that the energy inputs are there,” he said, highlighting the need for a regional strategy to ensure energy adequacy.

Video of van Welie’s address is available online, and more information about the four pillars is available in the ISO’s latest Regional Electricity Outlook.