U.S. Reps. Scott Peters (D) and Andy Barr (R) introduced the SPEED and Reliability Act, which is meant to speed up the siting and permitting of transmission lines.

Permitting reform legislation is starting to move through Congress, with a key House committee holding a hearing and supporters lobbying legislators, though actually passing a bill is tough in any political climate.

The BIG WIRES Act would require FERC to set minimum transfer capabilities between regions to better connect the grid in order to promote reliability and ship cheap power around the country.