Issues & Policy
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Overview
The U.S. energy grid is one of the most sophisticated machines ever constructed. It is a complex, interconnected network of generation, transmission, distribution, control, and communication technologies.
Electric companies are building new energy infrastructure to enhance economic and national security, providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity for nearly 250 million Americans in communities across the nation.
Key Facts
$1.1 Trillion
Invested Over the Next Five Years
EEI’s member companies will invest more than $1.1 trillion during the next five years to power economic prosperity.
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>$200 Billion
Invested This Year
EEI's member companies are projected to invest more than $200 billion this year to make the energy grid stronger, smarter, cleaner, more dynamic, and more secure.
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52 GW
New Generation Capacity in 2024
52 gigawatts of new generation capacity was added to the grid in 2024, which is enough to power more than 39 million homes.
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Federal Regulatory Affairs
Investor-owned electric companies are regulated at both the federal and state levels. At the federal level, EEI works to ensure favorable regulatory outcomes at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and other federal agencies. FERC is the primary regulatory body for the bulk power system, and regulates most electric transmission, regional power market rules, interstate wholesale sales of electricity, and certain corporate activities, among other functions.
The Federal Regulatory Affairs Group represents EEI’s members at these regulatory bodies through advocacy outreach and participation in regulatory proceedings and policy rulemakings that affect member interests. Additionally, the group works to educate regulators and their staffs about the complex regulatory issues important to EEI’s membership.
Transmission and Wholesale Markets School
Transmission and Wholesale Markets School (TWMS) is an intensive five-day course produced in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin in Madison focusing on transmission planning and economics, wholesale energy market design, emerging energy issues, and more. The school meets yearly in August. See Upcoming Meetings for more information.
Middle-Mile Broadband
As regulated service providers, electric companies are well-positioned to help close the digital divide, as they have a physical connection to nearly every home and business within their service territory. Electric companies incorporate telecommunications equipment and fiber technology into their operations—particularly in rural areas—to support their communications infrastructure and to provide real-time monitoring and controls for generation and transmission operations. Building out electric companies’ telecommunications network supports secure communications for mission-critical applications, facilitates additional smart grid tools and distributed energy resources, and makes the grid more resilient and more efficient. Substantial investments in telecommunications technology will be needed to make the energy grid smarter, stronger, cleaner, more reliable, and more secure.
