ISO New England issues report on long-term transmission needs for bulk power system
A new report by ISO New England found that limiting demand on the bulk power system to a winter peak of 51 gigawatts (GW) in 2050 would significantly reduce how much New England must spend on transmission upgrades.
ISO New England’s 2050 Transmission Study provides an overview of the regional transmission system investment needed into the middle of the century to ensure reliability throughout the clean energy transition. It is intended to inform stakeholders of the amount and type of transmission infrastructure necessary to ensure a reliable supply of cost-effective electricity for New England. Further, it contains a set of potential solutions, or roadmaps, to guide stakeholders in their efforts to facilitate the clean energy transition.
The study found that cumulative costs to upgrade the transmission system could reach $17 billion to serve a 51 GW peak in 2050, or $26 billion to support a 57 GW peak. To reach those levels, the region’s annual investment over the next 26 years would need to roughly keep pace with or exceed the average spent each year over the past two decades. It added that the upgrades would be needed to avoid overloading transmission lines and transformers as residents increasingly rely on electricity to heat buildings and power vehicles. Also, it takes into account the fact that offshore wind facilities and other renewable resources located far from homes and businesses will produce a greater share of the region’s power.
“The 2050 Transmission Study is an unprecedented look at the future of New England’s transmission system, and its findings will help stakeholders and the ISO make important decisions about improvements and pathways forward,” Robert Ethier, ISO New England’s vice president of System Planning, said. “The ISO will continue to provide such forward-looking analyses in its role as the region’s Independent System Operator, and we will continue to collaborate with stakeholders working to ensure a smooth, reliable transition to an economy primarily powered by clean energy.”
The bottom line is that reducing peak load significantly reduces transmission cost, as upgrades would cost about $750 million to support each additional gigawatt of demand on the system for peaks between 28 GW and 51 GW. But after 51 GW, the cost doubles to $1.5 billion for every additional gigawatt of demand on the system, up to the 57 GW winter peak projected for full electrification of the heating and transportation sectors.
The report said that the region could arrive at a 6 GW reduction through a significant increase in demand response and energy efficiency programs, through the use of stored fuels for heating on extremely cold days only, or other means discussed in the report.
The roadmaps laid out in the report consists of several major components, paired with rebuilds of existing lines and other elements to form a complete solution for the relevant region. In addition to areas in Massachusetts and northern New England, the study examined potential solutions in southwestern Connecticut. It should be noted that the report does not recommend one roadmap over another. The intent of including multiple roadmaps is to provide a basis of comparison for decision-making by New England stakeholders.
