{"id":65334,"date":"2024-11-18T10:09:38","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T18:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/energi.media\/?p=65334"},"modified":"2024-11-18T10:09:38","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T18:09:38","slug":"grid-infrastructure-investments-drive-increase-in-utility-spending-over-last-two-decades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/energi.media\/news\/grid-infrastructure-investments-drive-increase-in-utility-spending-over-last-two-decades\/","title":{"rendered":"Grid infrastructure investments drive increase in utility spending over last two decades"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>This article was published by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=63724\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">US Energy Information Administration<\/a> on Nov. 18, 2024.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>By Lori Aniti<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Annual spending by major utilities to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/energyexplained\/electricity\/delivery-to-consumers.php\">produce and deliver electricity<\/a> increased 12 per cent from $287 billion in 2003 to $320 billion in 2023 as measured in real 2023 dollars, according to financial reports to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).<\/p>\n<p data-type=\"inbrief\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/images\/2024.11.18\/main.svg\" alt=\"annual U.S. utility spending on electricity infrastructure by sector\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"source\"><strong>Data source:\u00a0<\/strong>U.S. Energy Information Administration and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Financial Reports, as accessed by Ventyx Velocity Suite<br \/>\n<strong>Note:\u00a0<\/strong>O&amp;M=operation and maintenance<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Capital investment in electric infrastructure mostly drove the increase, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=50456\">more than doubling<\/a>\u00a0over the period as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Aging generation and delivery infrastructure were replaced or upgraded to resist fire and storm damage.<\/li>\n<li>Utilities installed first natural gas-fired generation, then wind and solar generation, and, more recently, battery storage.<\/li>\n<li>New lines were connected to renewable resources.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/sites\/prod\/files\/2019\/02\/f59\/Smart%20Grid%20System%20Report%20November%202018_1.pdf\">New technology<\/a>, including smart meters, sensors, and automated controls, was added to the system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/images\/2024.11.18\/chart2.svg\" alt=\"annual U.S. capital additions by sector\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"source\"><strong>Data source:\u00a0<\/strong>U.S. Energy Information Administration and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) financial reports, as accessed by Ventyx Velocity Suite<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Production<\/strong><br \/>\nSpending to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/energyexplained\/electricity\/how-electricity-is-generated.php\">produce<\/a> electricity fell 24 per cent from 2003 to 2023, mainly due to lower fuel costs and, to a lesser extent, the retirement of older,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=42155\">costlier-to-maintain<\/a>\u00a0fossil fuel plants. Fuel costs, the main operating expense, make up most of the production costs.<\/p>\n<p>More recently, capital spending on electricity production increased by 23 per cent ($4.7 billion) in 2023 compared with 2022. Most of this increase was driven by costs related to the construction of the Vogtle nuclear plant operated by Georgia Power. The fourth and final Vogtle unit entered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=61963\">commercial operation<\/a>\u00a0at the end of April 2024.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Transmission<\/strong><br \/>\nSpending on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/tools\/glossary\/index.php?id=Transmission_(electric)\">electricity transmission systems<\/a> nearly tripled from 2003 to 2023, increasing to $27.7 billion. Electricity transmission systems consist of the wires and structures required to transmit high-voltage power long distances from the generator to the neighbourhood, lower-voltage distribution grid.<\/p>\n<p>More recently, capital investment in the transmission of electricity increased $2.7 billion (11 per cent) in 2023 from 2022. Most of this increase came from spending on the transmission <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2023-02\/Sector%20Spotlight%20Electricity%20Substation%20Physical%20Security_508.pdf\">station equipment<\/a>\u00a0($1.0 billion), poles ($1.1 billion), and computer software ($0.4 billion) necessary for operating regional transmission markets.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Distribution<\/strong><br \/>\nCapital spending on the distribution system, responsible for delivering electricity to end users, was the main driver of electricity spending increases over the last two decades. Capital investment in distribution infrastructure increased by $31.4 billion, or 160 per cent, from 2003 to 2023.<\/p>\n<p>More than one-fifth of this increase occurred between 2022 and 2023 when spending increased by $6.5 billion to a total of $50.9 billion as utilities\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/detail.php?id=63024\">replaced and upgraded<\/a> aging equipment and installed new lines, transformers, and other equipment to help neighbourhood electricity grids withstand extreme weather events and to manage the intermittency of renewable resources.<\/p>\n<p>Capital spending on overhead lines, poles, and towers increased the most. Utilities spent $17.4 billion on overhead infrastructure in 2023, an 11 per cent increase from 2022 and a 220 per cent increase from 2003.<\/p>\n<p>Investment in underground lines also increased considerably, more than doubling over the past 20 years to reach $11.8 billion in 2023. Utilities installed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tdworld.com\/smart-utility\/article\/21253499\/distribution-goal-50-underground-by-2040\">underground lines<\/a> in new housing and commercial developments and replaced some overhead lines to mitigate power outages during storms and fires or to improve neighbourhood appearance.<\/p>\n<p>Capital investment in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.utilitydive.com\/news\/distribution-transformer-shortage-appa-casten\/639059\/\">line transformers<\/a>, which decrease voltage to household levels, increased 23 per cent from 2022 to $7.5 billion in 2023\u2014a result of supply chain and manufacturing issues.<\/p>\n<p>Utilities spent $6.1 billion on distribution\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/electrical-engineering-portal.com\/equipment-distribution-substation\">substation equipment<\/a> in 2023\u2014a 184 per cent increase from 2003 and a 15 per cent increase from 2022.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/assets.ctfassets.net\/xpbu77rkft4z\/6QVP6qnHiLuKEMPim2xheu\/2375fdc51cc441d53efdac93f0c8c952\/EPI_Report_Power_Components_Q3_2023.pdf\">Substation investment<\/a>\u00a0has increased to help utilities better withstand extreme weather events, manage the intermittency of renewable resources, and allow greater voltage control during emergencies.<\/p>\n<p>Utilities spent $5.1 billion in 2023 on infrastructure located on or near customers\u2019 property such as meters, leased property, and rooftop solar installations\u2014up 84 per cent from 2003 and up 25 per cent from 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Although energy storage remains a relatively small portion of the total budget for distribution infrastructure, spending increased from $97 million in 2022 to $723 million in 2023.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/storagewiki.epri.com\/index.php\/Energy_Storage_101#Distribution-Connected_Energy_Storage\">Energy storage<\/a>\u00a0at the substation or customer site enhances power quality and provides backup power in areas where lines and transformers cannot handle additional capacity, especially as more intermittent renewable resources come online.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eia.gov\/todayinenergy\/images\/2024.11.18\/chart3.svg\" alt=\"breakdown of annual U.S. spending by distribution cost\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"source\"><strong>Data source:\u00a0<\/strong>U.S. Energy Information Administration and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) financial reports, as accessed by Ventyx Velocity Suite<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Other<\/strong><br \/>\nUtilities increased spending by $8.6 billion (30 per cent) on <em>other electricity systems costs<\/em>\u00a0from 2003 to 2023. Most of these increases ($7.9 billion) were spent on intangible plant expenses (such as licenses and franchises) and general plant expenses (such as offices and storage buildings).\u00a0<em>Other electricity systems costs<\/em>\u00a0also consist of administrative and general expenses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>This article was published by the US Energy Information Administration on Nov. 18, 2024. By Lori Aniti Annual spending by major utilities to\u00a0produce and deliver electricity increased 12 per cent from $287 billion in 2003 <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/energi.media\/news\/grid-infrastructure-investments-drive-increase-in-utility-spending-over-last-two-decades\/\" title=\"Grid infrastructure investments drive increase in utility spending over last two decades\">[Read more]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":65335,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[891,103,528,14,2586,517,890],"class_list":{"0":"post-65334","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-eia","9":"tag-electricity","10":"tag-electrification","11":"tag-featured","12":"tag-grid-security","13":"tag-renewables","14":"tag-usa"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - 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