Washington D.C. – July 18, 2017
The GridWise Alliance commends Representatives Latta (R-OH) and McNerney (D-CA), Co- chairs of the House Grid Innovation Caucus, for introducing bipartisan “Voluntary Model Pathways” legislation and applauds their continued leadership on critical grid modernization issues.

The electric grid plays a critical role in all aspects of our daily lives. Our electric system is undergoing a rapid transformation, as are the policies and business models that will help ensure that electric utilities can recover costs in an equitable manner that also protects consumers. These policy and related changes must occur in a manner that also keeps our Nation’s electricity infrastructure reliable, resilient, and secure, while the system undergoes these substantial changes.

“The legislation introduced today, if enacted into law, would provide an overarching planning tool to help states as they face the range of issues to consider pertaining to the transformation of the electric system and related business model and policy changes,” said Steve Hauser, CEO of the GridWise Alliance. “These `voluntary model pathways’ would help frame these issues in a holistic manner, similar to a business resource planning tool that provides a methodology that enables executives to identify and consider at the front end a range of key issues. In doing so, states would be able to think through the potential impacts of certain choices and, hopefully, avoid unintended consequences, and save time and money down the road.” These “voluntary model pathways” also could be viewed as a “cookbook,” or menu of options, including best practices, so states would not have to start from scratch in addressing these changes.

“This ‘pathways’ approach would facilitate the consideration of a range of solutions, so states could make an optimal decision and/or obtain the best possible final outcome, with all of the available information; it would not predetermine or mandate any specific outcome(s),” said Ladeene Freimuth, Policy Director of the GridWise Alliance. “The legislation introduced today would provide states with some of the additional tools and assistance they will need, as they undertake policy and regulatory changes to keep pace with the transformation of our electricity system,” she continued.

The GridWise Alliance looks forward to working with all Members to continue to help advance these important goals and urges the swift passage of this legislation.

About GridWise Alliance:
The GridWise Alliance (GWA) represents the broad and diverse stakeholders that design, build and operate the electric grid. Since 2003, the Alliance has been at the forefront of educating legislators and regulators about the critical need to modernize our nation’s electricity system.
For more information about the GridWise Alliance, please visit: http://www.gridwise.org.