The rapid growth of data centers, artificial intelligence (AI) facilities, advanced manufacturing, and other large electricity users is reshaping electricity demand across the United States – and exposing limitations in transmission planning processes that were designed for a vastly different pace of growth.

Brattle Principal Johannes Pfeifenberger coauthored Transmission Planning with Large Loads: Current Practices and Recommendations, a new report by the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG) Large Loads Task Force. The report examines why modern transmission planning frameworks are struggling to keep pace with growing demand from large loads. It offers practical recommendations to help planners, utilities, regional transmission organizations (RTOs), and regulators modernize planning processes, create connection capacity more quickly on the existing grid, and better prepare the grid for uncertain future demand.

Rather than viewing large loads as simply another source of demand, the report explains why their scale, timing, geographic concentration, and uncertainty require a more coordinated and forward-looking planning approach. It identifies three structural challenges – planning silos, timing mismatches, and uncertainty – that increasingly drive reactive transmission investments over more comprehensive, cost-effective long-term solutions.

The report recommends several actions that can be implemented immediately, including:

Improve visibility into available transmission headroom.
Expand the use of advanced transmission technologies and operational tools.
Incorporate load flexibility and co-located resources into planning.
Consolidate or better coordinate siloed planning processes.
Apply scenario-based and least-regrets planning methods to identify more robust solutions in the face of significant uncertainties.
Shift toward proactive, long-range, multi-benefit transmission planning to address both near-term interconnection needs and long-term grid development needs.
Create development zones for large loads and generation to facilitate proactive grid planning.

As requests to connect large loads continue to accelerate, the report argues that transmission planning must evolve from project-by-project responses toward more integrated and flexible planning processes that better serve customers, developers, and the electric system as a whole.

To read more about the ESIG Large Load Task Force (and associated reports) please go to: Large Loads | Working Group | ESIG.

Transmission Planning with Large Loads: Current Practices and Recommendations can be found at: https://www.esig.energy/reports-briefs/transmission-planning-large-loads.

Download the report to explore the recommendations in detail below.

View Report

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