Public Financing of Transmission: Building Lines and Reducing Ratepayer Impacts in States

States across the country are working to scale clean energy resources and grid infrastructure to meet demand growth, while delivering affordable, reliable, and clean electricity. But nearly 70% of transmission lines are more than 25 years old, and demands on the grid are growing daily. Greater grid system costs and transmission constraints are contributing to higher energy costs for homes and businesses. Leveraging public financing tools such as bonds, loans, and public-private partnerships can help mitigate these issues by lowering costs, improving project certainty, and speeding project development. This webinar explores the options and benefits of public financing tools and pathways for implementation, including via state transmission authorities. It features findings from CATF and Acadia Center’s forthcoming report examining the potential for ratepayer savings from public transmission financing in New England as well as CATF’s similar study on California ratepayer savings that led to enabling legislation in 2025.