The Smarter Grid Is Already Here - We Just Need to Rewire It

America’s power grid is being pulled in more directions than ever before. Between the rise of electric vehicles, the explosion of energy-hungry data centers, and a national push to bring manufacturing back home, electricity demand is growing at a pace not seen in decades. Layer in aging infrastructure, long permitting delays, and local opposition to new lines, and it’s no surprise that many utilities and grid planners feel like they’re falling behind.

So what if there were a faster, more practical way to expand grid capacity - without building thousands of new miles of transmission lines?

A new report from Americans for a Clean Energy Grid (ACEG) and Grid Strategies LLC , titled “Fewer New Miles: Rethinking Clean Energy Transmission Expansion”, suggests just that. It makes a compelling case that we can meet much of our future electricity demand by getting more out of the grid we already have. And the fastest way to do that? Rebuild existing lines with better conductors.

This isn’t theoretical. The technology exists. And in many places, it’s already proven.

Rethinking What Grid Expansion Looks Like

For years, the prevailing wisdom has been that meeting future energy needs - whether for decarbonization, economic growth, or grid resilience - means building more long-distance transmission lines. But that process takes time. Lots of it. Between routing, permitting, siting, environmental reviews, and cost allocation fights, a new high-voltage line can take 7 to 15 years from concept to completion - if it ever gets built at all.

But here’s the catch: the U.S. already has more than 200,000 miles of transmission lines that are approaching - or exceeding - the end of their expected service lives. As they’re replaced, we have a rare opportunity to upgrade them with Advanced Conductors that can double or even triple their capacity, while reducing electrical losses and improving efficiency.

Rather than chasing new corridors, the smarter - and much faster - solution is often to modernize what’s already in place.

The Case for Advanced Conductors

The ACEG/Grid Strategies report leans heavily on this point: new capacity doesn't have to come from new routes. It can come from existing towers, poles, and rights-of-way, simply by replacing outdated wires with better ones.

This is where Advanced Conductors come in - wires that use high-strength, lightweight carbon or composite cores instead of traditional steel. These conductors, such as CTC Global's ACCC® Conductor, allow for much higher current capacity, operate at higher temperatures with less sag, and dramatically reduce the amount of energy lost as heat.

An earlier report, “Advanced Conductors on Existing Transmission Corridors to Accelerate Low-Cost Decarbonization” (2022), authored by Jay Caspary and Jesse Schneider, went even further. It estimated that upgrading just 25% of aging lines in North America with Advanced Conductors could unlock enough transmission capacity to support 27 gigawatts of new generation annually. Over a decade, that would translate to $140 billion in energy savings - all without carving a single new transmission path through contested landscapes.

While the 2022 report emphasized the climate benefits of reduced emissions, the real-world applications are even broader today. Data centers, for instance, are projected to account for over 20% of electricity load growth in some U.S. regions. Add the electrification of transportation, heating, and heavy industry - and the onshoring of chip fabs, EV plants, and steel mills - and it’s clear: we need capacity, and we need it fast.

Why Aren’t We Doing This Already?

If the benefits are so obvious, why haven’t more utilities embraced Advanced Conductors?

Inertia plays a big role. Most transmission planning processes are still stuck in old frameworks that prioritize “least cost” over lifetime value. That often means utilities stick with traditional conductors like ACSR or ACSS - technologies that haven’t fundamentally changed since the mid-20th century.

Meanwhile, regulators and regional transmission organizations (RTOs) tend to overlook operational efficiency. As highlighted in the ACEG/Grid Strategies report, grid efficiency might account for only 2% of project evaluation in some RTO planning processes. That’s hardly enough to tilt the scales in favor of a conductor that may cost more upfront but pays for itself many times over in reduced losses and increased capacity.

There’s also a lack of incentives to think long-term. Utilities are rarely rewarded for saving customers money on line losses - because those savings aren’t always visible in rate cases. And while Advanced Conductors can carry more power, they sometimes require terminal upgrades - like substation equipment or protection devices - to take full advantage of that extra capacity.

But these are solvable problems. And the benefits far outweigh the barriers.

Real Projects, Real Results

This isn’t a technology waiting for a breakthrough - it’s already out there.

In the Netherlands and parts of Germany, grid operator TenneT Netherlands has used ACCC® Conductors to upgrade critical 380 kV lines, doubling capacity without changing tower footprints. These upgrades have helped connect over 20 GW of offshore wind, all while minimizing public opposition and environmental disruption.

Closer to home, utilities like American Electric Power (AEP) and others have successfully used Advanced Conductors to upgrade key transmission corridors in Texas and the Midwest. And in Bangladesh, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) required the use of Advanced Conductors in a 400 kV transmission project to reduce losses, lower ROW clearances, and increase capacity - all at a lower lifecycle cost than traditional wire.

What Needs to Change

Both the 2022 and 2025 reports recommend concrete policy and planning shifts to accelerate adoption.

• First, regulators and utilities need to update their project evaluation frameworks to look beyond upfront capital cost. Total lifecycle value - especially in terms of efficiency and capacity - should be central to the analysis.

• Second, federal and state agencies should set clear targets for reconductoring with Advanced Conductors, especially when replacing aging assets.

• Third, planners and engineers must treat Advanced Conductors as baseline technology - not niche solutions reserved for river crossings or emergencies.

If we’re serious about supporting electrification, powering AI and data center growth, and rebuilding a more resilient domestic manufacturing base, we can’t afford to waste capacity or energy. The grid needs to be leaner, stronger, and smarter. And it starts with the wires.

Acknowledgments and Thanks

This article draws heavily on the insights and data presented in two key reports:

• “Fewer New Miles: Rethinking Clean Energy Transmission Expansion” (2025) by Americans for a Clean Energy Grid and Grid Strategies, and

• “Advanced Conductors on Existing Transmission Corridors to Accelerate Low-Cost Decarbonization” (2022) by Jay Caspary and Jesse Schneider, supported by ACORE, and others.

Their work offers a roadmap for utilities, planners, and policymakers - and highlights the urgent need to rethink how we approach grid investment in the U.S.