Introducing Transmission Projects: Building Trust from the Start

Expanding and upgrading the energy grid is always essential — but rarely simple. Projects that build new transmission lines, modernize infrastructure, or support the shift to clean energy are complex, uncertain, and often controversial. Strong opposition can stem from community concerns about property values, land use, health risks, environmental impact, equity, and more.

Further, regulatory bodies need assurance that there is a process through which the public can interact with your project team, and that the public is informed about project impacts beforehand. Making stakeholder relations a proactive part of your project ensures smoother regulatory review, saves time and resources for your utility, and is a smart (and right) way to engender public trust.

In our experience, utilities that adopt the following strategies tend to experience faster project approvals, fewer objectors, and stronger public support.

Start early

Your first conversation with the community should lay the groundwork for cooperation — or, it could potentially spark resistance. Involving key stakeholders communities early, even before formal permitting begins, can change everything. It gives the public an opportunity to understand why the project is necessary, how decisions are being made, and what to expect along the way. It also gives your teams a chance to listen, learn, and adjust before positions harden and any opposition grows.

We counsel utilities to prioritize early and frequent outreach to affected communities. Project websites, public meetings, newsletters, and digital platforms are great ways to keep audiences updated, address concerns, and demonstrate your commitment to open and collaborative communication.

Understand your audience

Start with an understanding of who is impacted and how. Identify all parties with a stake in the outcome: local officials, nearby residents, business leaders, land trusts, environmental advocates, tribal nations, and historically marginalized communities. Each brings its own perspective, history, and concerns to the table.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is treating every community the same. Community engagement plans strategies must reflect local values, histories, and needs. What resonates with one group may fall flat or backfire with another. This is especially true in rural areas, tribal lands, and environmental justice communities, where infrastructure projects often carry the weight of past harm.

Be transparent

Once identified, impacted communities deserve to hear clearly what is being proposed, why it matters, and how it might impact their daily lives. That includes candid messaging about tradeoffs (noise during construction, changes to views, traffic disruptions, etc.). Communicate in plain language and be honest about what will be done to mitigate impacts. Importantly, explain how the project connects to larger goals, such as integrating renewable energy or enhancing regional grid reliability. Open, honest, and cooperative communication makes great strides toward building credibility.

Message with impact

We have found that when messaging focuses on benefits to the greater community, it most often resonates and proves effective in garnering acceptance and support for a project. Highlighting job creation, infrastructure improvements, and environmental benefits can build public support by helping local community members feel vested in a project. Of course, you must also continue to transparently communicate critical information related to project timelines, impacts, mitigations, etc.

Get on the same page

Once your messaging strategy is planned, it’s important to coordinate behind the scenes. When utilities and permitting agencies are aligned and consistent in their messaging and approach, trust is strengthened. When they aren’t, confusion and frustration often follow. A strong partnership between project developers, regulators, and community liaisons at the outset can streamline approvals and avoid last-minute surprises.

Consider community investments and follow through

From the beginning, be prepared to consider proactive long-term commitments to the community. Offering appropriate compensation, landscaping solutions, and noise reduction measures to minimize the impact on abutting properties may be helpful in creating goodwill and have a lasting impact. Advisory panels can ensure these commitments stay on track and reflect local priorities.

As to be expected, many in the community — particularly private landowners who are directly affected by a project — can be leery about a utility’s commitments. It’s not uncommon for the public to have low levels of trust in utilities, so it’s understandable that people might, for example, question a commitment to restoring a project footprint following construction. Use such opportunities to display empathy and to further cement the public’s trust by following through on any commitments you have made.

Be responsive

Have a formal plan to assign dedicated staff to respond to questions and concerns, track community input, and demonstrate how feedback is shaping the transmission project. And make sure project information is readily accessible via public meetings, websites, mailers, hotlines, or materials in an audience’s primary language. The more accessible your communication, the more inclusive and effective your outreach will be. This will help you establish long-term relationships with communities, supported by specific accountability measures and governance frameworks.

Plan for success

Don’t be surprised by pushback from the community; no project achieves universal support. Over time, even in the most controversial cases, opposition tends to moderate with honest communication, open engagement, active listening, and good faith responses. Typically, only the most extreme opposition persists, so be prepared for some level of inevitable resistance.

Accordingly, it is essential to engage and address concerns and incorporate feedback into project planning before seeking regulatory approval on infrastructure improvements. We’ve seen the difference transparent, early stakeholder engagement can make. While every project is unique, one truth remains constant: trust must be earned from the very beginning. Introducing transmission projects to the community in the right way is an important step toward success.