How High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission Lines Can Decarbonize and Strengthen the Power Grid
- Timothy Beggans
- Sep 30
- 2 min read
The U.S. grid is undergoing a fundamental transformation. One of the most innovative projects leading the way is the SOO Green HVDC Link, a 350-mile underground transmission line connecting Iowa (MISO) to Illinois (PJM). By using existing railroad rights-of-way, this project avoids many of the permitting and siting battles that slow new transmission. Interestingly, the 19th-century railroad land grants that once fueled U.S. economic expansion may now play a role in 21st-century grid decarbonization.
Why it matters:
Decarbonization: HVDC allows renewable power, particularly wind from the Midwest, to flow directly to high-demand areas in the East.
Grid Reliability: Linking MISO and PJM provides a critical backbone to balance supply and demand across regions, smoothing variability in renewables.
Efficiency: Underground HVDC lines have lower line losses and reduced exposure to extreme weather.
Permitting Advantage: Using rail corridors minimizes landowner conflicts and accelerates development.
Challenges to consider:
Cost: HVDC projects are capital-intensive, requiring billions in upfront investment.
Coordination: Aligning rules, markets, and planning across MISO and PJM is complex.
Technology Risk: While HVDC is proven, large-scale underground projects in the U.S. remain relatively new.
The broader question: Is this a sign of a true national grid emerging?
As renewable penetration grows, more HVDC backbones may be essential to connect resource-rich regions with demand centers. What railroads did for commerce in the 1800s, transmission could do for clean energy in the 2000s.
This is more than a project—it may be a blueprint for the future.
Sources: Utility Dive, Wikipedia – Railroad Land Grants, PJM, Illinois Power Agency PDF, Monona Chamber, EnergyRe, Illinois Renewable Report.
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