New transmission investments provide consumers access to world-class, low-cost wind and solar resources while also unleashing significant economic development opportunities throughout rural America. Yet, the grid modernization conversation these days – e.g., California and the wake of wildfires and preventative rolling blackouts – seems overly tilted to microgrids, distributed resources and batteries. While these are important components of a diverse clean energy portfolio, transmission can at times get lost in the conversation. Customers are demanding the benefits of large-scale wind and solar projects, as shown by state policy goals that continue to increase across the country, increasing interest from large industrial customers and the simple driver of low-cost and stable energy prices. This panel will focus on the best strategies to keep the grid modernization effort balanced and focused on continued investments in new and upgraded transmission in order to deliver these benefits to consumers.