NOVI, Mich., Dec. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart devices, connected homes, electric vehicles…these technologies are changing the way we use and think about electricity. You may not realize it, but in our increasingly electrified society, that's where the electric grid matters most.
From powering our homes and communities to supporting vast digital empires, the nation’s high-voltage electric grid enables all other vital infrastructure. More grid investment is needed to keep pace.
Modern high-voltage power transmission infrastructure is needed to unlock abundant clean energy resources in distant locations and move that energy to the cities and towns where it’s needed.
The number of electric vehicles is expected to accelerate from the current 1 million to 19 million by 2030. Proactive investment in the electric grid is needed to handle this growing demand.
Severe weather events of any type make the case for investing in a more robust and resilient electric transmission grid. Image courtesy NBC.
Power flows to us through a three-part system, and at the center are the high-voltage transmission lines that move power from where it’s generated to where it’s needed.
ITC’s control room staff monitors transmission systems 24-7 across the company’s seven-state footprint.
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The power that keeps the lights on in homes and businesses flows through a three-part system: from power plants and other sources where electricity is generated; through transmission lines that carry it at high voltages and often over long distances; and finally into smaller, local wires known as distribution lines, which bring electricity into our homes and other buildings.
Big towers move the power
At ITC, we develop, build and maintain the high-voltage transmission infrastructure that holds that three-part system together, moving power from where it's generated to where it's needed and acting much like the highways that crisscross the country.
Unlike your local power company, ITC is uniquely focused on just this one component of the electric system. That means we have deep expertise and a commitment to partnering with communities, local utilities, municipal power providers, rural electric cooperatives and other stakeholders involved in transmission projects. Through this work, ITC plans and operates the transmission grid across Michigan's Lower Peninsula, most of Iowa, and parts of Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma.
The work ITC does every day helps electricity flow smoothly and safely through the entire power system. That in turn makes the transmission system more resilient in the face of extreme weather, helps local utilities deliver more reliable and affordable electricity, and facilitates the use of more clean energy resources. The transmission grid ultimately helps spur innovation and economic growth by providing high-voltage power to places like universities, manufacturing facilities and other energy-intensive locales.
The economic benefits of a modern grid are particularly important to rural communities, which are often underserved when it comes to vital infrastructure.
Modern society requires updated grid
Looking around, one thing is for sure: The energy landscape is changing with the growth of electric vehicles, private power generation and other new demands and uses of the power grid. At the same time, this vital infrastructure is showing its age after decades of under-investment around the country. This leaves the backbone transmission grid vulnerable to severe weather and cyber-attacks. The right investments in the grid not only mitigate these vulnerabilities but also offer huge potential to unlock the country's abundant clean energy resources, to make power more reliable and feed economic growth.
The key to building the electric grid we need is to invest for the long-term and beyond the needs of any one state. After all, electricity flow doesn't stop at state borders, so neighboring states and even regions can mutually benefit from expanded grid infrastructure.
At ITC, our system planners are looking at future scenarios every day, preparing for a range of possibilities as we continue toward a cleaner, greener energy future. We innovate for the benefit of our customers...and theirs. For people who flip the switch to turn on the lights. For business owners who can't operate without power. For rural America where local connections matter. For critical research, data, medical and manufacturing centers that require constant reliability.
We are ensuring the greater grid can meet their energy needs, now and long into the future.
About ITC Holdings Corp.
ITC Holdings Corp. is the largest independent electricity transmission company in the United States. ITC provides transmission grid solutions to improve reliability, expand access to markets, allow new generating resources to interconnect to its systems and lower the overall cost of delivered energy. ITC is based in Novi, Michigan. For further information visit www.itc-holdings.com. ITC is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry. For further information visit www.fortisinc.com.
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