FERC on Thursday issued a proposed rule that aims to speed up the process for linking new electric generation to the power grid.

power gen map

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s unanimous vote advances a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) that could ease interconnection queue backlogs. Commission staff said the rule would add certainty to the process and prevent discrimination against new generation.

“We are witnessing unprecedented demand for new resources seeking to interconnect to the transmission grid, and queue delays are hindering customers’ access to new, low-cost generation,” Chairman Rich Glick said.

Glick has previously emphasized the need to improve electric grid reliability.

According to the Commission, more than 1,400 GW of generation and storage were in...