MISO is sticking with its usual slate of transmission planning studies for next year, opting not to include specially targeted analyses in its annual package.

Project Manager Sandy Boegeman said MISO intends to conduct the usual studies for the 2021 Transmission Expansion Plan (MTEP 21), despite a few specific requests from stakeholders. The grid operator collected ideas for new studies through September. (See MISO Winds down MTEP 20 Planning, Focuses on 2021.)

The Environmental Groups sector requested that MISO conduct two studies examining footprint change if either LG&E and KU or Memphis Light, Gas and Water join the RTO within the next five years.

“MISO does works directly with entities to understand the potential value of joining MISO, as requested by interested entities. Those requests are independent of the MTEP planning cycle,” Boegeman said during a Planning Advisory Committee teleconference Wednesday.

The Environmental sector had also asked that MISO study the three MTEP 21 futures scenarios using $0/MWh hurdle rates with its neighboring regions. The sector said it wants the RTO to better document the use of hurdle rates in MTEP studies.

American Transmission Co. had asked MISO to study short-circuit ratios and analyze the costs and benefits of designing transmission projects to handle multiple needs instead of a singular need.

Boegeman said these requests did not merit independent studies but could be investigated by tweaking modeling assumptions or methodologies in existing MTEP studies. She said MISO will explore accommodating them and discuss them in upcoming Planning Subcommittee meetings.