Competition is important. So is the great need for expanding our transmission infrastructure. There must be innovative policy reforms to ensure cost saving and time saving that prevent unnecessary delays and the hidden costs that come with them. A right of first refusal helps avoid certain hidden costs in the competitive bidding model. On the other hand, competitive bidding can result in lower project costs. Is there a better way or hybrid model to ensure fast and cost-effective infrastructure build outs?Â
With more research and a deeper, more nuanced report to follow, here are some of my thoughts on the cost concerns that can occur within competition.