Insights from policy experts: Matt Christiansen, Partner, Energy and Climate Solutions, Wilson Sonsini
In the WIRES Fall 2025 newsletter we are featuring a compelling perspective from Matt Christiansen, Partner at Wilson Sonsini, and a former FERC General Counsel. Matt makes the case for stepping back and reexamining the broader value of major transmission projects and why they deserve to be viewed as a public good.
The newsletter also includes key findings from the new Grid Strategies report commissioned by WIRES on the cost to consumers when transmission is delayed; insights from FERC Commissioner Lindsay See’s keynote remarks at our Fall Member Meeting in Washington; and the announcement of WIRES 2026 leadership slate. We also spotlight Gill Industries, our newest associate member, and include our recent FERC and DOE filings.
National Interest Infrastructure
Matt Christiansen, Partner, Energy and Climate Solutions, Wilson Sonsini
It is hard to imagine a topic that would more effectively silence a Thanksgiving dinner table conversation than the intricacies of how to plan, permit, and pay for electric transmission facilities. Even that garrulous uncle of yours might decide that those are not questions worth sharing his opinions on.
And while I would not encourage readers to test that proposition empirically, there is still a lesson or two to be drawn from the thought exercise.
I would start with the fact that, for understandable reasons, we tend to talk about electric transmission development using narrow, case-specific terms. Electric transmission is the paradigmatic natural monopoly, and its costs are overwhelmingly paid by captive customers. Our regulatory paradigms are designed with those facts in mind. Electric transmission projects are developed and reviewed project-by-project, on an as-needed basis, and with an eye toward allocating the costs to the specific customers who can be shown to benefit, at least where we can.
There are understandable reasons why we have adopted that framework. Project-by-project review can facilitate a careful balancing of the competing incentives between companies that build transmission and customers who pay for it. Similarly, to insulate projects from challenge in court, case law encourages lawyers (myself included) to advocate for as careful and precise an accounting of the costs and benefits of new transmission facilities as possible, which too can be easier to do on a project-by-project basis.
But that narrow aperture, understandable as it may be, doesn’t reflect the role and importance that electric transmission facilities play in our society, our economy, and, indeed, our national interest. Whether you believe that electric transmission is the infrastructure needed to support a low-emissions future, to enable our nation’s artificial intelligence dominance, or for some other reason entirely, the importance of developing transmission infrastructure is increasingly difficult to capture within the relatively narrow aperture we use to plan, permit, and pay for those facilities. And that is especially true for the high-voltage, long-distance facilities that form the “backbone” of our transmission grid.
It is time to think of major new transmission facilities as something closer to a public good. That is because a robust electric transmission grid is the necessary foundation for supporting quintessential public goods: Everything from clean air and a stable climate to the national security and economic growth benefits that come from artificial intelligence and data centers. Understood as a quasi-public good, it makes sense that the benefits of electric transmission, and backbone facilities in particular, cannot be fully captured or accounted for among the entities that take service over those facilities. Instead, electric transmission is national interest infrastructure.
The initial comments submitted to FERC in response to the Department of Energy’s Section 403 proposal regarding large load interconnection underscore that point. While there is plenty of disagreement about what FERC should do in the proceeding, companies as diverse as Google and WIRES’ member American Electric Power highlight the critical importance of building electric transmission to our national security and economic development goals. As they point out, while interconnection is undoubtedly important, if we take too narrow a focus when it comes to transmission, we will underinvest in the infrastructure needed to serve our national interest.
To be clear, I am not suggesting that cost doesn’t matter or that rigorous scrutiny of multi-billion-dollar investments isn’t important. If anything, in a time of rising power prices, convincing all stakeholders that the benefits of energy infrastructure outweigh the costs is more important than ever. But, partly for that reason, it is time to step back and do so with an appreciation of electric transmission infrastructure’s contribution to and foundational support of public goods that are in our national interest and not just the interest of the ratepayers who fund those projects.
What policies follow from conceiving of electric transmission as national interest infrastructure is another kettle of fish altogether—and a discussion well beyond the word count that WIRES graciously offered me for this insight. But, at the very least, that perspective counsels in favor of stepping back from some of the relatively narrow debates into the interstices of the three Ps of transmission development and starting with the big picture perspective. It might even make for an interesting dinner table conversation.
2025 WIRES Fall Member Meeting – October 22-23, 2025
In late October, WIRES convened our members and invited guests at our Fall Member Meeting at The Willard Hotel in Washington. The keynote session took the form of a fireside chat, with FERC Commissioner Lindsay See joining Larry Gasteiger in a wide-ranging discussion on transmission policy issues. We are grateful to the Commissioner for her candor and for her engagement with the audience during the Q&A.
The Commissioner’s comments at the WIRES event were reported on in several publications, include this portion from a story in Utility Dive:
“I don’t want to be the one who is stifling innovation and new changes that we’re seeing happen,” See said. “I really approach that as trying to be in listening mode a lot to figure out where would guidance and uniformity be helpful for the industry … and where is it potentially a hindrance.”
The incentives FERC gives for transmission development are “an incredible tool” that can help the agency meet its goal of ensuring reliable and affordable power, according to See.
“We’re at a time where we need electrons to be able to get where they need to in an efficient and a cost effective manner, and that’s going to require new investments and new development, and we need that quickly,” See said.
The first panel session brought together a diverse mix of perspectives on how to engage communities effectively throughout the transmission planning and development lifecycle. From early engagement and “kitchen-table” coffee chats to discussing benefits in relatable ways, our panelists highlighted practical strategies for building trust, enhancing transparency, and finding common ground.
Thank you to our expert panelists: Robert Kuzman, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO); Stacey Burbure, American Electric Power; Dan Scripps, Michigan Public Service Commission; and Margaret Neves, Jacobs – Moderator.
The second panel focused on Aging Transmission: Affordability and Resilience, and explored how the grid can support national AI and electrification goals while staying affordable and resilient. Our panelists discussed strategies to extend the life and upgrade the capabilities of transmission assets, and how to maintain resilience and affordability while freeing up capital to invest in AI and electrification infrastructure. Grateful to our excellent panelists: Vandan Divatia, Eversource Energy; Jose Villalba, Osmose; Raymond Gifford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP; and Ben Lanz, APC Media – Moderator.
A recording of the WIRES Fall Member Meeting is available on our event page.
WIRES published in November an analysis conducted by Grid Strategies. The timely report, Delaying Transmission Increases Costs and Reduces Benefits for Consumers, explores the economic and reliability costs to consumers of delayed transmission projects.
Based on a review of eight benefit-cost studies for transmission portfolios across the country, it finds that for every $1 billion investment in well-planned, large-scale transmission that is delayed, it costs consumers approximately $150 million to $370 million in lost net benefits for each year of delay. These losses stem from postponed reliability improvements, reduced access to lower-cost generation, and foregone economic efficiencies.
Transmission projects are significant infrastructure investments that support a skilled workforce, and bolster domestic manufacturing and supply chains resilience. Delays in transmission projects impede job creation across communities nationwide. Based on Grid Strategies’ review of economic impact studies, each $1 billion of delayed transmission investment defers an estimated 11,000 to 25,000 direct, indirect, and induced job-years.
The report emphasizes that timely, large-scale, coordinated transmission planning and development are essential to securing the full suite of consumer benefits and to avoiding compounding costs of inaction. It underscores that transmission delivers benefits that far exceed its cost, and that delaying needed projects harms consumers, weakens the economy and undermines national security.
To download the whitepaper and accompanying one pager, visit the report page.
At our recent Fall Meeting, WIRES elected its new leadership slate, with Dave Burnham, Director, Transmission Policy, Eversource Energy, named WIRES 2026 President. Congratulations to the WIRES 2026 officers and board members.
For more information, view the 2026 leadership press release.
Gill Instruments builds technology for those who can’t afford guesswork. For 40 years, we’ve taken a deliberately uncompromising approach to meteorological and environmental measurement. No fragile parts. No inflated promises. No performance that only works on paper. Our ultrasonic anemometers and weather stations are engineered for operators who need accurate data they can stake decisions on - the kind of decisions that move markets, protect assets or keep operations running when conditions turn hostile.
We sit at the heart of some of the world’s most demanding operations: stabilising power grids, supporting dynamic line rating, guiding renewable assets, informing aviation decisions, and powering smart-city intelligence. If you’re working in a sector where the environment dictates performance, chances are you’re already using Gill, directly or indirectly. We’re not in the business of “nice-to-have” sensors. We build the kit operators rely on when accuracy, durability and trust genuinely matter.
Speak to one of our team of experts who understand the operational reality you’re dealing with, or follow us on LinkedIn.
Larry Gasteiger is frequently called upon to speak on transmission policy issues and to help shape conference agendas. This Fall he participated in a number of events, including:
WIRES is widely regarded as a leading authority on transmission issues, with trade and business media regularly seeking out Larry’s insights on transmission policy and the latest developments at FERC.
Recent articles:
11/21/25 – APC Media – Interview with Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES
11/16/25 – RTO Insider – Transmission delays mean higher costs for customers, study finds
11/14/25 – S&P Global – 1 year delay for large US grid projects can increase costs by up to 37%
10/27/25 – Utility Dive – Surging load growth requires flexibility, new approaches: FERC’s Lindsay See
10/23/25 – S&P Global – FERC’s See emphasizes predictable path forward on transmission incentives
10/1/25 – S&P Global – Government shutdown brings potential challenges to US energy and mining sectors
9/11/25 – E&E News – Eastern Interconnection study pinpoints threats to grid reliability
9/3/25 – T&D World Online – Transforming Transmission: The Role of Advanced Technologies and Innovative Practices
8/14/25 – Utility Dive – White House names Democrat Rosner to lead FERC
8/13/25 – RTO Insider – Trump officially names Rosner, a Democratic appointee, FERC Chair
8/13/25 – RTO Insider – WIRES report includes survey on industry views on advanced tx tech
For a complete listing of earned media, visit the WIRES In the News page.
If you’d like to receive this newsletter and other important event notifications from WIRES in your inbox, join our mailing list. To ensure prompt notification of our LinkedIn newsletter, be sure to click the subscribe button.