To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Move future power transmission lines underground
We urge incentives and research support for moving high capacity long distance power lines underground. Public opposition to overhead transmission lines is dangerously delaying modernization of our grid, which we believe is important for security, economical solutions to future energy needs, and for the environment.
Why is this important?
The resistance to overhead transmission lines is immense, and is causing delays in much needed transmission upgrades, that will improve grid reliability and damage tolerance, reduce the need for new generation, and enable much greater utilization of wind power, solar power, and locally sited small generators (such as combined heat and power generation and other home energy systems). We need the transmission upgrades, but want these new lines to go underground. We ask that the US Department of Energy make it a priority to find a cost effective way to move large transmission lines underground, and that congress find a way to incentivize underground power transmission.