MISO, Southwest Power Pool collaborate on study to identify transmission projects
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) are working together on a study to identify transmission projects with comprehensive, cost-effective, and efficient upgrades.
These regional transmission organizations, or RTOs, will look for solutions to historical challenges facing generation interconnection customers in places where their boundaries connect, also known as seams.
“A fundamental issue facing grid transformation is the lack of transmission at requested connection points,” Barbara Sugg, president and CEO at SPP, said. “Working together, MISO and SPP can target those areas where there are mutual benefits on both sides of our seams.”
They will focus on finding solutions that will benefit both their interconnection customers and end-use consumers of their member companies.
“Our member companies and stakeholders have told us that we need a better solution that prioritizes projects that address these gaps,” John Bear, CEO at MISO, said. “Collaborating in this way gives us the opportunity to explore potential improvements within our own interconnection processes while informing longer-term regional transmission planning efforts in both MISO and SPP.”
The study is expected to begin in December 2020. The process will include several joint stakeholder meetings to provide informational updates on the findings.
Southwest Power Pool, based in Little Rock, Ark., manages the electric grid and wholesale power market for the central United States, while MISO, based in Carmel, Ind., serves the Midwest US and parts of Canada.
