Bipartisan group from 11 states takes steps to lead in transmission development
A group of 11 bipartisan governors, led by Western Governors’ Association Chair Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah, signed a letter endorsing the results of the Western Transmission Expansion Coalition (WestTEC) transmission needs study.
At the WGA annual meeting on June 30, the governors also announced the creation of the Permitting Alignment and Coordination Task Force (PACT), which will serve as a state-led forum focused on expedited transmission permitting in the West.
Together, the actions will support implementing the recommendations from the WestTEC 10-year study.
This first-of-its-kind, bipartisan interstate commitment recognizes the need for transmission expansion in the West to meet growing demand, integrate new resources and strengthen reliability. It underscores the importance of making the results of the WestTEC study actionable. PACT, run by WGA in coordination with GridWorks, aims to accelerate development of the transmission projects identified by WestTEC by streamlining the permitting process, building on proven models of successful state-agency collaboration.
“The WestTEC study provides a credible, data-driven blueprint that developers and states can use to build the infrastructure needed to meet future energy needs,” said Sarah Edmonds, President and CEO of Western Power Pool. “Since we announced the WestTEC 10-year results, many people have asked, ‘Now what?’ What comes next is building the projects recommended in the study, and that requires partnerships and collaboration across the West. This is a perfect example.”
“In transmission development, there are the three P’s – planning, permitting and paying,” Edmonds said. “WestTEC has focused on planning. This announcement and creation of PACT will help Western states lead the way in clearing the permitting hurdle.”
As chair of WGA, Gov. Cox’s initiative for 2026 has been “Energy Superabundance: Unlocking Prosperity in the West.” The other governors signing the agreement include Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon.
“Getting energy to where it's needed, when it's needed, is just as important as generating it in the first place," said Emy Lesofski, energy advisor to the governor and director of the Utah Office of Energy Development. "Think of the grid like the roads and highways connecting our communities - it doesn't matter how much is produced if you can't move it to where people actually live and work. Utah and other Western states are united on this because it's just common sense: a stronger, more connected Western grid means lower costs, greater reliability, and more opportunity for every state in the region.”
Photo courtesy of Western Governor's Association
Video courtesy of BonnCom