The construction of $83 billion in planned transmission projects around the United States would add $42 billion to GDP, create 442,000 well-paying jobs, and boost direct local spending by nearly $39 billion cumulatively during the construction phase of the projects, according to a new report by London Economics International (LEI).
The report, titled Repowering America: Transmission Investment for Economic Stimulus and Climate Change, also found that the longer-term operations and maintenance of these projects would provide an annual GDP increase of $1.6 billion over the transmission assets’ lifecycle.
The projects would also reduce electricity prices, increase renewable generation and advance decarbonization goals.
The report was prepared by LEI on behalf of WIRES, an international trade association that promotes investment in all aspects of the high-voltage grid.
“This report quantifies what WIRES and its members have long known — that in
