Utah Leads Western Governors in Transmission Line Reform

Eleven Western governors, from Arizona to Washington, signed the Transmission Permitting Alignment and Coordination Task Force (PACT) aiming to streamline permitting for new high-voltage transmission lines. The agreement, announced by Utah Gov.

Spencer Cox, seeks to address the slow pace of building new transmission infrastructure by creating a coordinated process across state lines, federal lands, and tribal consultations. Currently, developers face separate permitting processes for each state a line crosses, causing delays and increased costs.

The PACT initiative builds upon the WestTEC study which determined the Western U.S. will require 12,600 miles of new transmission lines and 3,330 miles of upgrades in the next decade to meet growing demand. Cox frames the effort as essential for economic competition, energy security, and mitigating environmental hazards.

Utah has already taken steps to accelerate permitting within its borders and double electricity generation capacity. The governors hope coordinated efforts will lower energy costs for consumers by allowing access to cheaper power sources and ensuring a robust energy supply for the region.