After a hiatus on gas-electric coordination discussions, MISO’s Advisory Committee touched on lingering frustrations in 2025 and potential solutions. 

This time, MISO members pointed out that new electric storage could mitigate risk at times when high demand causes the natural gas supply to falter. The Advisory Committee’s roundtable May 7 was one of its periodic “current issues” discussions, with more topics planned in June.  

John Wolfram, representing MISO transmission owners, said he expected it would continue to be a challenge to supply gas plants in high demand using a pipeline system that was designed to support heating only. Wolfram said TOs would like to see 24/7 gas operations, especially since scarcity occurs in extreme weather that strikes indiscriminately.  

“It always seems like these emergencies occur on a four-day holiday weekend,” Wolfram said.  

The Union of Concerned Scientists’ Sam Gomberg said battery storage waiting to interconnect in MISO’s queue could help it navigate gas shortfalls during punishing weather. The queue contains about 60 GW of energy storage.

Gomberg also said more regional and interregional transmission lines could lessen the pressure to perform for MISO’s key natural gas generation and make forced outages during system stress less noticeable.  

“These aren’t one-off events anymore,” Gomberg said of extreme weather episodes. “I think MISO should be incorporating these into their long-term planning.”  

Xcel Energy’s Susan Rossi, also representing MISO TOs, said a multiday commitment model from MISO could help natural gas resources better prepare.   

MISO in 2024 said it wouldn’t entertain a member request to create a multiday fuel purchase requirement for market participants during extreme cold weather. However, the RTO said it likely would create a financial guarantee by the 2025/26 winter for resources that are committed days in advance and have those commitments canceled by MISO. (See MISO Proposes Alternative to Multiday Gas Purchase Requirements.)  

Clean Grid Alliance’s David Sapper said while firm fuel procurements and dual-fuel conversions on plants could alleviate some risk, a “less expensive” option could be better unit commitments from the RTO.  

Sapper also said battery storage, which could be charged with natural gas generation ahead of time, could help MISO ride out long, stormy weekends when gas becomes scarce.  

Sapper said the lack of weekend service “in times of incredibly high need does not square with competitive markets and outcomes.” He said it remains “puzzling” to him that gas trading shuts down without regard to need.  

Committee members agreed MISO has been handling fierce winter conditions better than ever. (See MISO: Better Preparations Clinched Winter Storm Operations.) However, some said it’s difficult to separate how much of the improved operations are due to MISO’s better forecasting and data or improved gas-electric coordination.  

More Topics in June

The Advisory Committee will discuss emergency preparedness and power restoration procedures when it meets in June with the MISO Board of Directors in the audience.  

Clean Grid Alliance’s Beth Soholt asked that MISO sectors be allowed more input when selecting topics to discuss in front of the board rather than its C-suite determining themes.  

Advisory Committee Chair and Indiana regulator Sarah Freeman agreed there’s still “a degree of opacity” in how MISO leadership chooses the subject matter for Advisory Committee sessions during quarterly Board Week meetups.  

For its separate, “current issue” discussion format in June that is not held in front of MISO board members and handpicked by the committee itself, the Advisory Committee decided to discuss MISO’s most recent capacity auction and how the new sloped demand curve influenced results. (See MISO Summer Capacity Prices Shoot to $666.50 in 2025/26 Auction.)  

The committee maintains an ongoing list of future topics. Potential upcoming discussions could feature a possible minimum transfer capability between RTOs and how to best prevent future episodes of market manipulation à la Ketchup Caddy. (See In a Pickle: FERC Issues $27M in Fines over Ketchup Caddy DR Deceit.)