MISO is registering and accrediting resources to meet a roughly 2-GW uptick in load for the 2026/27 planning year.

The grid operator has so far recorded a preliminary 135.6 GW in total accredited capacity for the peak summer season, and it still has some resource registrations in progress.

The RTO reports it has nearly 175.6 GW of total installed capacity. For the 2025/26 planning year, the RTO had 139.4 GW in accredited capacity available to it in summer.

MISO has established an initial 137.5-GW initial planning reserve margin requirement to cover a 124.7-GW coincident peak forecast for summer. The RTO’s downward-sloping demand curve used in the auction will likely clear more capacity than the margin requirement. It entered the 2025/26 auction with a 135.2-GW margin requirement and ended with a nearly 137.6-GW requirement. Its 2025/26 coincident peak load forecast was 122.6 GW.

Speaking at a Jan. 14 Resource Adequacy Subcommittee meeting, MISO Manager of Resource Adequacy Andy Taylor said load forecasts have risen across the board for the upcoming planning year, according to load-serving entities. He said the increases aren’t large enough to cause panic.

The grid operator’s numbers, prepared for the upcoming spring capacity auction, are preliminary. MISO plans to post five more data updates through March 19.

MISO will open its capacity auction offer window will be open March 26-31 and post auction results April 28.

MISO’s 2026/27 planning year will begin June 1.