Getting to Know RTO
Families and businesses across the West are feeling the burden of high energy costs. At the same time, we’re dealing with the effects of increasingly extreme weather events, meaning more stress on our energy grid from hotter and colder temperatures, wildfires, hurricanes, and more.
But even as we face similar challenges, the West still operates like a series of energy islands. This type of fragmented grid makes it harder to keep the lights on and prevent blackouts — and it’s also more expensive.
So what can policymakers do to make our energy more reliable and more affordable? How can states work together to meet the energy needs of millions of electricity customers all across the western United States?
Experts and advocates weigh in about a potential three-letter solution to the West’s power woes.
Getting to Know RTO
How a Regional Electric Grid Would Help Deliver More Affordable Electricity for Customers in the West
In this episode, Advanced Energy United's Leah Ruben Shen talks with Bob Jenks, Executive Director of the Oregon Citizens' Utility Board. They talk about how an RTO would help deliver more affordable electricity to ratepayers across the West. They also touch on the increased efficiency of a regional grid and what opportunities decision makers have to build an RTO that meets the needs of our communities now and into the future.