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Maryland
Every day, millions of people in Maryland rely on the energy grid to power our modern way of life. Thanks to a network of transmission lines that carry energy from where it’s generated to where it’s used, we’re able to heat and cool our homes, keep the lights on at our businesses, get online for work and school, and even charge our vehicles. We rarely think twice about it — until the power goes out. Unfortunately, many of Maryland’s transmission lines were built in the 1950s and 1960s and were only intended to have a 50-year lifespan. We’re way overdue for an upgrade – especially since we can’t hit our clean energy and climate goals without fixing our transmission system.
Improving Maryland’s existing transmission infrastructure, building new lines, and pursuing a regional approach to transmission planning and coordination will ensure we can all enjoy reliable energy. Plus, better transmission could bring thousands of new living-wage jobs to the state, lower energy costs, and accelerate the clean energy transition.
Transmission Means Cleaner Energy
Transmission Is The Missing Link To Our 100% Clean Energy Goals
Maryland today gets more than two-thirds of its energy from coal and natural gas, but the state has one of the most ambitious clean energy plans in the country: 100% clean energy by 2035. With abundant offshore wind, our state is in a great position to reach this goal — we just need more transmission capacity to transport that clean energy from the coast to all the places where we live, work, and play. By siting transmission projects with stewardship in mind, the state can minimize impacts to marine habitats and sea life. Transmission is the key to a clean energy future.
Transmission Means Jobs
Thousands Of Living-Wage, Clean Energy Jobs
By some estimates, the U.S. needs to build as many as 91,000 miles of new transmission lines in the next 13 years to meet our clean energy goals — which means new high-paying jobs across the country. Here in Maryland, investments in clean energy and transmission could create as many as 39,000 good-paying jobs in the next 30 years.
Transmission Means Affordability
Electricity Savings For Homes And Businesse
Expanding transmission infrastructure across the eastern US will allow Maryland to tap into low-cost wind and solar energy and cut the average household electricity bill in the East by one-third. That means the typical household would save $300 every year on utility costs. All in all, that adds up to $600 million in savings annually.
Transmission Means Reliability
Keeping The Power On When Extreme Weather Strikes
As Maryland continues to experience severe storms and heat that breaks records year after year, a reliable energy grid will be a critical lifeline to help protect communities’ power supplies and keep us cool. With climate change driving more extreme weather, transmission infrastructure can help ensure energy reliability. A strong transmission grid will make it easier for utilities to coordinate resources over a wide geographic footprint to help keep the lights on.