The Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission released a strategic action plan April 28 for creating an interstate planning process for transmission projects that span the seams of their grid operators.

The collaborative comprises nine states — Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont — and was formed with the goal of exploring “opportunities for increased interconnectivity” between ISO-NE, NYISO and PJM. (See 10 Northeastern States Sign MOU on Interregional Transmission Planning.) New Hampshire signed the initial memorandum of understanding creating the group but did not sign onto the plan.

The plan, prepared by The Brattle Group, goes further than exploration and into concrete steps for soliciting projects and proposing them to the grid operators. It implicitly criticizes FERC’s planning rules, including the recent Order 1920, for creating barriers to interregional projects.

“No process currently exists for groups of states spanning different transmission planning regions to take the various steps necessary to identify, evaluate, select and agree to share the cost of beneficial interregional transmission projects so they can be developed,” the plan says. “Members of the collaborative have referred to the absence of such a process as ‘the missing middle.’”

Brattle focused on what states can do in the short term — including over the next year — to identify beneficial interregional projects and “make them actionable through existing regional planning processes.” Such projects would help states reach not just their long-term emission-reduction goals but also address their looming resource adequacy concerns.

“New York is pleased to be a part of this strategic partnership so that together with our fellow Northeast states, we can find more effective and affordable solutions to maximizing transmission opportunities that can both provide increased reliability as well as deliver additional clean energy to our grid,” New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President Doreen Harris said in a statement.

Over the next year, the states will attempt to identify “low-hanging fruit” projects through a request for information. Brattle recommends the states ask the three grid operators to take on advisory roles in the process, as any project will need to be integrated into each of their transmission plans. It also suggests including NERC, “given its recent identification of interregional transmission solutions as necessary to ensure a reliable electric grid.” (See NERC Responds to Interregional Transfer Capability Study Comments.)

Simultaneously, Brattle says, the states should consult with the grid operators and FERC on what, if any, tariff changes would be necessary to facilitate the interstate process.

The plan also includes goals for the end of 2027, including the development of HVDC design standards to facilitate an offshore transmission network and joint offshore wind procurements.

“Not having to build new power plants saves Marylanders money,” Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul Pinsky said. “Increased regional transmission capacity can reduce the need for power plants that solely exist to meet peak demand, which are typically fossil fueled. … This collaboration illustrates why state-led climate action is so important to achieving our energy, environmental and economic goals.”

“States across the Northeast share a common priority to ensure an affordable, reliable and sustainable electric grid,” Vermont Department of Public Service Commissioner Kerrick Johnson said. “Transmission is at the heart of securing that energy future.”