Press Releases
06/23/2025
Connecticut and Northeast States Issue Request for Information to Explore Cost-Saving Transmission Projects
The bipartisan Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission seeks interregional transmission concepts that can cost-effectively provide significant grid and consumer benefits.
(HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today joined eight other Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states in issuing a Request for Information (RFI) seeking interregional transmission project concepts that would improve grid reliability, support economic growth, and reduce costs for consumers. The RFI was issued by the bipartisan Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission, a group formed in 2023 to fill a gap in today’s interregional transmission planning processes. Through this collaboration, DEEP is working to unlock reliability benefits and cost savings for the state’s ratepayers.
“Connecticut is working to provide more affordable and reliable electricity to homes and businesses by strengthening our transmission connections to other regions,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “This request for information will help us identify promising, no-regrets opportunities to expand our state’s access to lower-cost and cleaner sources of power, while making power grids across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic more resilient and reliable.”
The RFI is the first step in identifying and exploring potential interregional transmission projects between the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic electricity planning regions: ISO New England, New York ISO, and PJM Interconnection. The RFI invites interested entities, including industry representatives, ratepayer advocates, utilities, and independent transmission developers, to submit concept papers on beneficial interregional transmission project opportunities by October 23, 2025.
The Northeast States Collaborative includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It formed following a 2023 request by several of the states to the U.S. Department of Energy to convene a multi-state group to explore how three electricity planning regions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (ISO New England, New York ISO, and PJM Interconnection) could improve the flow of electricity between their regions to increase reliability and improve affordability. Last summer, the multi-state group signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a framework for coordinating its activities and identified this strategic action plan as a critical next step.
Since that time, the Collaborative has engaged relevant federal agencies and organizations with technical expertise to identify and assess shared areas of focus for interregional transmission cooperation and coordination. In April 2025, the Collaborative issued a strategic action plan that identifies specific steps that state, regional, and federal policymakers can take to pursue interregional transmission solutions to reduce costs for consumers and make our energy systems more secure. The plan outlines a range of actions over the next several years to improve interregional transmission planning processes across the three grid planning regions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The anchor of the plan is the joint issuance of this RFI to help identify and explore potential interregional transmission project concepts. The plan also identifies transmission equipment standardization as a key strategy to reduce the cost of transmission development.
Here’s what officials from our partner states in the Collaborative are saying about this initiative and the RFI:
“By working with other states, we can get more affordable electricity flowing to customers in Massachusetts and across the Northeast,” said Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Smart, targeted investments in interregional and regional transmission can lower costs and transform our grid. We’re looking forward to seeing what projects may deliver savings to our residents and power our growing economy.”
“This RFI represents another proactive and concrete step among Northeast states to pursue beneficial transmission infrastructure to strengthen our grid,” said Ashley Gagnon, Massachusetts Federal and Regional Energy Affairs Senior Director. “Our regions currently lack a process to explore interregional transmission projects spanning our borders. This collaborative effort is a concrete step toward filling this gap. We welcome submissions and look forward to reviewing project concepts.”
“It is very encouraging to see this RFI from the Northeast States Collaborative to gather ideas on how we can collaborate on mutually beneficial interregional transmission projects,” said New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Christine-Guhl-Sadovy. “Increasing the flow of electricity between our regions has the potential to reduce costs for consumers and make our energy systems more secure and reliable. This is a great step towards achieving those goals and we are proud to be part of the effort.”
“Interregional transmission enables neighboring parts of the country to share resources more efficiently, lowering costs for consumers and making sure the grid can stand up to any challenges. This Request for Information seeks to bring cooperation between regions to the current level of cooperation within regions,” said Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul G. Pinsky. “Maryland is proud to join the Northeast Collaborative in seeking out ideas from the public for new projects that reduce customer costs and bolster resource adequacy.”
“Energy affordability and reliability are more important than ever,” said Vermont Department of Public Service Commissioner Kerrick Johnson. “Vermont views the RFI released today as a meaningful opportunity to find creative ways to secure deeper, more effective regional collaboration on transmission initiatives that deliver value. We look forward to reviewing the responses with a sense of urgency.”
“Maine values collaborative efforts to identify cost-effective transmission solutions that strengthen the regional grid,” said Celina Cunningham, Deputy Director of the Maine Governor’s Energy Office. “This Request for Information is an important step to drive innovative ideas and advance cooperation among the states in support of a more reliable, resilient, and affordable energy future for Maine and the Northeast.”
“States, including New York, are seeking new cost-effective transmission projects that improve grid reliability, support economic growth, and reduce costs for consumers,” said New York State Department of Public Service CEO Rory Christian. “This request for information is a critical step forward to address the gaps in today’s interregional transmission planning processes and identify potential opportunities to build a more efficient and affordable regional electric grid.”
“Collaborating on interregional transmission solutions to strengthen our grid and provide affordable renewable energy to northeast residents is critical as we continue to build a clean energy economy,” said President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Doreen M. Harris. “Through this RFI, New York is excited to consider innovative ideas and concepts to help to take our collective transmission planning to the next level.”- Twitter: @CTDEEPNews
- Facebook: DEEP on Facebook
Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110