The Southwest Power Pool (“SPP”) and Midcontinent Independent System Operator (“MISO”) announced in a September 14th news release that they will collaborate on a year-long transmission study.
The purpose of the study is stated to be designed to :
. . . identify transmission projects with comprehensive, cost effective and efficient upgrades.
SPP and MISO are regional transmission organizations who describe themselves as “looking for solutions to historical challenges facing generation interconnection customers in areas where their boundaries connect, also known as seams.”
SPP and MISO describe the study as focusing on:
. . . solutions that the RTOs believe will offer benefits to both their interconnection customers and end use consumers of RTO member companies.
SPP and MISO have an existing Joint Operating Agreement that allows them to work through reliability issues. However, existing processes are stated to not include the simultaneous evaluation of benefits, or allocation of cost, to both load and interconnection customers.
The RTOs state their existing interconnection processes will “proceed as planned.” As a result, the study is stated to run parallel to those with subsequent results expected to be incorporated at the appropriate time. Projects identified by the joint study would need approval by their Board of Directors.
Timing for the study is stated to involve initiation in December 2020. Several joint stakeholder meetings are planned to provide informational updates on the findings.
A copy of the SPP news release can be downloaded here.
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