Climate and energy

Some interesting Southwest Power Pool (SPP) meetings are coming up this week – the Regional State Committee and a Board of Directors meeting among them. The Priority Projects are topics on both agendas. The fate of a major Kansas project – the proposed 765kV line from Wichita to Spearville – is far from certain.

However. The SPP process is also taking place in a much larger context. Several other regions and interconnections are engaging in major planning activities, all at the same time. Everyone involved shares similar goals – all participants are looking to secure future market access for renewables, cheaper electricity in a carbon-constrained future, and a more stable and reliable grid. Resources being limited, it is unlikely that there are enough pieces of this pie to go around, or that all the pieces of the pie were created equal.

Transmission planning is clearly not a race. That would not be prudent. However, time pressures do exist and none of these processes are occurring in isolation.

Midwest Independent Trasmission System Operator (MISO)

MISO represents a great deal of the transmission in the Upper Midwest. Several major lines are being considered up north, and the larger vision is that some of these lines could connect western interconnection power with eastern interconnection markets. MISO is currently engaged in the Regional Generator Outlet Study (RCOS). Part of this process looks at identifying Renewable Energy Zones, or REZs (see WREZ, below).

Midwest Governors Energy Infrastructure Accord

The MGA just recently released the Infrastructure Accord. While the ACCORD briefly mentions the SPP process, the document clearly focuses on MISO planning as a priority, in effect identifying “Midwest” with the MISO territory. The Accord resolves that MISO and SPP are urged to propose cost allocation formulas by December 2009.

Western Governors WREZ process

The WGA has been working its way through a transmission planning process based on identifying Western Renewable Energy Zones, or WREZ (based on the concept pioneered in TX). They have completed Phase I and submitted a slate of recommendations to DOE.

EIPC

The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative is one of several major groups that has applied to DOE for funds to carry out an eastern interconnection planning process. EIPC involves 95% of the regional planning authorities, among them MISO and SPP. The goal is to get all the regional planning processes at least somewhat coherent across the eastern interconnection.

Obama administration/ FERC/ national energy legislation

Transmission planning and siting in the U.S. traditionally occurs from the bottom up. As interest grows in a secure, stable national grid that can integrate large amounts of renewables, so too do indications grow that this planning structure may also change.

How it will change is unknown, but it seems likely that the federal government will enjoy increased powers over transmission. These powers could be awarded through energy legislation currently before Congress – but members of the administration have also mentioned that might not be necessary for them to implement some reforms.

— posted by Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org