FERC complaint calls for modernized rules to drive economic development and strengthen U.S. position in global AI race
WASHINGTON
, April 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Grid Acceleration Coalition, representing the nation's leading electric utilities, today filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging immediate action to address outdated federal rules that are delaying critical transmission projects by up to 20 months – driving up costs for customers and threatening the nation's ability to meet surging electricity demand. In a complaint filed with FERC, the coalition – representing ITC Holdings Corp., ATC, Ameren, Cleco, Entergy, The Empire District Electric Company, Evergy, OG&E, and Xcel Energy – asks the Commission to provide targeted relief from Order No. 1000 solicitation requirements in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) to facilitate urgently needed transmission projects.
As electricity demand accelerates nationwide – from data centers and advanced manufacturing to commercial and industrial facilities and growing communities – transmission has become the critical link to connecting new customers faster and bringing new generation online reliably. Yet outdated federal rules implemented during an era of flat demand are now adding an average of 16-20 months to many transmission projects, postponing customer connections, increasing costs and delaying savings.
Without action, the coalition's complaint warned, delays to critical infrastructure will continue to undermine affordability, slow the deployment of new generation and weaken the nation's ability to compete in emerging industries such as AI and advanced manufacturing.
"The evidence is clear: delays caused by the current transmission solicitation rules are now a material obstacle to delivering power as quickly as possible for data centers and other large new customers," said Michael Schnitzer, Partner at The NorthBridge Group. "These delays are imposing large, measurable economic costs – hundreds of millions of dollars per year – while providing no offsetting benefit that comes close to outweighing the economic harm caused by slower service."
The filing calls on FERC to meet this moment by suspending or exempting certain transmission projects from Order No. 1000's burdensome solicitation requirements in the MISO and SPP regions. Eliminating just one year of delay could save customers $150 million to $370 million for every $1 billion in accelerated investment.
"These delays are no longer theoretical," said Purvi Patel, Vice President of Regulatory Strategy at ITC Holdings Corp. and spokesperson for the coalition. "Right now, the delays inflicted by Order No. 1000 are endangering customer projects across the Midwest and Southwest."
The coalition's complaint emphasized that it does not eliminate competition, but instead offers targeted, customer‑focused solutions. These proposed reforms in MISO and SPP would exempt qualifying regional transmission projects from the Order No. 1000 solicitation process when delay would push those projects past the dates they are needed and slow the interconnection of new load or new generation. It also proposes an alternative solution that would provide a temporary pause in solicitation requirements for regional transmission projects in the MISO and SPP regions.
By accelerating transmission development, utilities can improve reliability, speed service to new customers and lower costs. New high‑voltage lines reduce congestion, expand access to lower‑cost energy resources, increase transfer capability across regions, and help keep electricity affordable and reliable for households, small businesses, manufacturers and communities.
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. Through its regulated operating subsidiaries ITCTransmission, Michigan Electric Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and ITC Great Plains, ITC owns and operates high-voltage transmission infrastructure in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. These systems serve a combined peak load exceeding 26,000 megawatts along 16,000 circuit miles of transmission line, supported by 700 employees and 1,000 contractors. 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.
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SOURCE ITC Holdings Corp.
