As electricity demand surges across the United States, a Johns Hopkins University initiative is helping states move faster—and more affordably—to expand grid capacity.
The project, known as Leadership in Grid Innovations for High-voltage Transmission for States (LIGHTS), recently received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity through its Transmission Acceleration Grants program. This initiative supports decision-makers across the PJM Interconnection Region (PJM) in deploying alternative transmission technologies (ATTs) and grid enhancing technologies (GETs).
“The project addresses a very critical gap in moving cutting-edge research into practice,” said Yury Dvorkin, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and civil and systems engineering and the project’s primary investigator. “We’re equipping decision-makers across PJM states with the expertise and analysis they need to expand transmission capacity rapidly, reduce the cost of electricity supply, and improve grid reliability.”