FERC last week approved MISO’s plan to cut some duplicate analyses from the first phase of its generation interconnection queue.

The approval means MISO can remove its dynamic stability, short-circuit and affected-system analyses from the first phase of the queue’s definitive planning phase (DPP) (ER18-2049). The RTO said the procedures are currently repeated once a project hits the second phase of the DPP.

MISO staff have said the changes would help speed along the overbooked, 90-GW interconnection queue, a sentiment shared by the RTO’s Transmission Owners sector in comments on the filing. (See “Studies Reduction,” MISO Proposal Aims to Speed Up Queue Process.)

FERC agreed with that assessment: “We find that MISO’s proposed Tariff revisions will streamline DPP Phase I and likely reduce the duration of delays experienced by interconnection customers in MISO’s interconnection queue.”

The commission also noted some stakeholders’ position at an April technical conference that an affected-system analysis in each of the three DPP phases is a contributing factor to queue delays. (See Renewable Gens Face Off with RTOs at Seams Tech Conference.) MISO has also said that results of its first affected-system studies are often subject to change later, given the uncertainty of the early information.

Early last week, MISO’s Neil Shah said if FERC didn’t approve the changes, the RTO would continue using its current study process that includes the redundant studies.

— Amanda Durish Cook