Rising demand for electricity in the United States is a pressing national, state, and local challenge. Transmission is a key part of that challenge. The U.S. transmission system will need to expand much faster to meet demand for electricity. A failure to build sufficient transmission could result in massive costs. Citizens across the country would likely face more expensive and less reliable access to electricity. U.S. businesses and the wider economy would struggle for the same reason. And American national security would be threatened by less economic competitiveness in key industries—like artificial intelligence and semiconductors—and a less resilient electric grid.

The Aspen Institute’s Energy and Environment Program convened a group of leaders from across the power sector in Aspen, Colorado for three days in February, 2025 to discuss the urgent challenges and solutions for building more transmission infrastructure in the United States. This report summarizes the key takeaways from the convening along the lines of “who, what, where, when, why, and how.”