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The Murphy administration announced July 9 it is among 10 Northeast states signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a first-in-the-nation effort aimed at enhancing grid reliability across the region.

The Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission explores mutually beneficial opportunities to increase the flow of electricity between three different planning regions in the Northeast. It also assess offshore wind infrastructure needs and solutions.

Over the past year, the multistate group and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have worked to develop the structure and scope of activities for the Collaborative. Other participating states include Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Closeup on the Collaborative

Particulars include:

• An agreement to work together on interregional transmission infrastructure and establishing mechanisms for sharing information.
• Enhancing transmission ties between regions to lower costs for consumers through increased access to lower-priced energy as well as bolster reliability during periods of extreme weather and system stress.
• Production of a strategic action plan to promote the development of interregional transmission projects for offshore wind resources harnessed off the Northeast coast and delivered as clean, reliable power. The outline would also include identification of barriers to such projects, actionable options for addressing them, and more.

In a Tuesday press release announcing the agreement, Gov. Phil Murphy noted the Garden State is not alone in facing increasingly frequent extreme weather and record-breaking temperatures.

“We are also not alone in our response to the intensifying climate crisis, which provides crucial opportunities to leverage interregional partnerships toward improving our collective resilience and economic vitality,” said Murphy. “As the Garden State bolsters its standing as a national offshore wind hub, we will continue working tirelessly alongside our regional partners to improve grid reliability.”

As the Garden State bolsters its standing as a national offshore wind hub, we will continue working tirelessly alongside our regional partners to improve grid reliability.
– Gov. Phil Murphy

“As we continue to grow our burgeoning offshore wind industry – while capitalizing on its significant environmental and economic benefits – we will also continue to collaborate with our regional partners to build a transmission network that is increasingly more reliable and resilient,” said New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) President Christine Guhl-Sadovy.