2025
Comparably’s Best Company Outlook
Market
Electric Transmission
Electric transmission development is a key investment priority of developers and utilities for energy modernization, market access for clean energy development, and grid reliability and resilience.
We Want to Hear From You
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Eric Myers
Strategic Growth Vice President
Jon Schultis
Senior Transmission Director
Overview
Significant electric demand deriving from AI, load growth, and grid reliability has pushed transmission owners, operators, and developers to continue to invest in the development of new competitive and regulated transmission line projects. Our teams make it a priority to understand and learn about our clients’ electric transmission needs and priorities, and adapt our services to meet those needs in both the regulated and competitive transmission market across the U.S. We have earned a reputation as a reliable and responsive team who will provide quality work and be able to scale our services to virtually any size transmission project or program. We support our clients through each phase of project development, including routing and siting, regulatory filing and testimony, environmental permitting, and long-term monitoring after project completion.
Consulting services for electric transmission is a primary practice area, and SWCA supports many of the largest regulated electric utilities, transmission developers, and operators in the U.S. We have been key contributors to the development of many of the largest multistate power transmission lines in the country, while also completing smaller projects under on-call contracts. In addition, we have supported and managed complex and large-scale programs, often as the owner’s representative. We are experienced with projects at all levels of power transmission and distribution voltage, in almost every physiographic setting. Our project managers are proven and recognized for their strategic thinking and proactive approach.
Construction and Program Implementation
Our services provide essential support for the execution phase of transmission projects. We offer agency consultations, construction environmental compliance management plans, training, and staffing to ensure projects meet regulatory standards. SWCA provides environmental reporting and on-call services, including rapid response and emergency services, acting as the owner’s environmental representative for large-scale programs. Our expertise in pole replacement and vegetation management projects ensures that construction activities are conducted efficiently and in compliance with environmental regulations.
Relevant Services
- Agency Consultations
- Construction Environmental Compliance Management Plans, Training, and Staffing
- Environmental Reporting
- On-Call Services, including Rapid Response and Emergency Services
- Owner’s Environmental Representative for Large-Scale Programs
- Pole Replacement
- Vegetation Management
Land Services
At SWCA, our land services are integral to the development and maintenance of electric transmission projects. We offer precise siting, surveying, and site acquisition solutions tailored to meet the unique demands of each project, ensuring projects are defensible and constructable. Our team utilizes advanced technology and methodologies to assess land features, boundaries, and environmental conditions, facilitating efficient project execution from planning through completion. By integrating our surveying expertise with environmental considerations and robust siting experience, we provide comprehensive support that addresses regulatory compliance and promotes sustainable development.
Relevant Services
- Construction Site Calibration and Localization
- Economic Impact Assessment
- GIS Analytics and Mapping
- Implementation Plans
- Indigenous Services
- Land-Use and Right-of-Way Acquisition
- Local Permitting Services
- Noise and Visual Impact Assessments
- Stakeholder Engagement
Permitting and Environmental Compliance
We help clients navigate a complex, dynamic regulatory environment while maintaining adherence to environmental standards and regulatory requirements and minimizing risks to project cost and schedule. Our experts assess permitting requirements on a case-specific basis, developing comprehensive permitting matrices as well as the time and effort required to obtain these permits. SWCA routinely authors applicant-prepared environmental assessments, third-party environmental impact statements, and associated state and federal environmental analyses. SWCA also provides preconstruction cultural, natural and water resource surveys, and environmental monitoring during and post construction including environmental and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) inspections.
Relevant Services
- Cultural and Historic Resource Studies
- Environmental Assessments
- Environmental Impact Statements (EISs)
- Environmental Inspections
- Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plans
- Federal Use Permits and Plans of Development
- Federal, State, and Local Environmental Permitting
- Federal, State, and Local Resource Permit Packages
- Permitting Plan and Strategies for Project Planning and Schedule
- Permitting Requirements Analyses and Strategies
- State Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity/Certificate of Need Applications
- State Public Utility Commission License and Permit Applications
- Supporting Technical Studies and Reports
- Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Inspections
- Tribal and State Historic Preservation Office Consultation
Routing, Siting, and Regulatory Filing Support
SWCA’s services are tailored to provide conformity and compliance with the specific requirements of relevant state regulatory jurisdictions. Electric transmission projects are strategically planned and comply with regulatory standards. Our holistic approach to routing and siting helps clients navigate complex regulatory and geographic landscapes to develop buildable and defensible route alternatives. SWCA uses the latest geospatial technology to develop comprehensive constraint mapping and quantitative modeling to guide and evaluate route alternatives in routing solutions. Our experts balance these quantitative solutions with specific regional resource and policy expertise to help our clients refine the right route for regulatory approvals or competitive solicitation scenarios. Our team is experienced in the development and presentation of expert witness testimony in multiple state public utility commission proceedings. We also routinely support FERC Order 1000 competitive proposals including routing analyses, due diligence for cost containment, and the development of permitting strategies that optimize risk management, cost, and schedule.
Relevant Services
- Early Critical Issues Identification and Assessment
- Endangered Species Act (ESA) Compliance
- Expert Witness Testimony and Public Utility Commission Certification and Hearing Support
- Federal Lands Permitting Strategy
- FERC Order 1000 Competitive Proposal Support
- GIS Analysis and Site Suitability Modeling
- Land and Right-of-Way Acquisition
- Planning and Land Use Studies
- Routing and Siting Studies
- Site Selection Evaluation and Analysis for Substation Facilities
- Site Visit Management, Data Acquisition, and Drone Imagery
- Wetlands and Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS)
Meet the Experts
Strategic Growth Vice President
Eric Myers
Eric brings a diverse background with many years of experience in electric utilities, commercial transmission, and renewables development. His transmission and generation experience includes transmission line and utility-scale solar and wind development, acquisitions, and utility partnerships from New England to Alaska.
Senior Transmission Director
Jon Schultis
Jon is responsible for developing a nationwide transmission strategy and brings a wealth of experience in the energy sector, having successfully sited more than 300 electric transmission lines, served as an expert witness in multiple states, and represented utilities at public utility commissions and other governmental legislative bodies.
Senior Project Manager
Ryan Rupprecht
Ryan has nearly two decades of professional environmental experience which encompasses environmental permitting, ecological and water resources studies, and project management.
Senior Environmental Planner
Stephanie Strength
Stephanie Strength has more than 20 years of expertise in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), siting, renewable energy, community, and environmental planning at the local, state, and federal levels. She is skilled in policy analysis, NEPA, National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 consultations, public relations, environmental sciences, impact assessment, alternatives evaluation, and authoring environmental regulations.
Principal Project Manager
Devin Petry
Devin provides environmental project management and planning expertise, with a focus on land use planning and facility siting. He has managed numerous facility siting studies and analyses for electrical transmission and generation projects.
Lead Project Manager/Siting Team Lead
Rachel Anderson
Rachel Anderson is a highly experienced Lead Project Manager and Transmission Siting Lead with a strong background in managing complex electric transmission and substation projects nationwide. She has led the siting and permitting of over 80 projects across multiple states, including high-voltage lines ranging from 69 kV to 765 kV. Rachel has played a key role in competitive FERC Order 1000 projects, including a 345 kV project in Kentucky, a 500 kV project in California, and a 765 kV project in Wisconsin. Her expertise lies in directing multidisciplinary teams, navigating regulatory frameworks, and delivering legally defensible applications for both regulated and competitive transmission environments.
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