The Planning Advisory Committee wrapped up stakeholders’ review of the draft 2015 MISO Transmission Expansion Plan with a vote of support last week. The System Planning Committee will consider the plan in December.
MTEP15 contains about 352 transmission projects valued at a total of about $2.4 billion. (See MISO Proposes $2.4 Billion in Transmission Projects.)
The approval comes amid continuing stakeholder discussion on revamping the MTEP economic planning process.
Durgesh Manjure, MISO’s manager of resource adequacy coordination, said the annual process typically begins in September and lasts until March or beyond. MISO has suggested a three-year cycle to replace the annual process and holding dedicated stakeholder workshops instead of setting MTEP planning as an agenda item. He said the reworking puts into question whether MISO should spend “six to nine months every year” of stakeholder time and energy devising the MTEP.
“There would be some work involved both on the MISO side and the stakeholder side,” Manjure said of the changes, which would be implemented beginning with MTEP17. (See MISO Planning Advisory Committee Briefs.)
The committee proposes conducting a review at the beginning of an MTEP cycle to see if the economic and policy landscapes are still properly represented, then reusing unaffected futures information. The panel also favors reusing resource expansion and siting data in subsequent PROMOD models, while updating the transmission topology annually.
MISO to Provide Clean Power Plan Scenarios in Analysis
MISO officials are still at work providing an impact analysis on how states will be affected by the Clean Power Plan. States have until 2018 to finalize plans under the rule.
“It’s necessary to start sooner than later because of long lead time on transmission projects,” said Jordan Bakke, senior policy studies engineer at MISO, who provided the PAC with a CPP analysis.
Bakke has worked on developing modeling assumptions and futures definitions. Through mid-2016, MISO plans to model transmission futures and sensitivities, with consideration given to state plans. Bakke said the PAC will turn to states, stakeholders and experts for feedback.
In its analysis, MISO examined the effects of both a partial and an accelerated CPP rollout. The model for a partial CPP implementation projects a 17% reduction in emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels. An accelerated CPP implementation would bring a 43% reduction. The final CPP rule calls for a 32% reduction.
“There are so many options available for states … that we really need to provide more certainty,” Bakke said.
The second round of stakeholder feedback included requesting detailed models of Environmental Protection Agency compliance options using both rate- and mass-based emission limits, allowances, set-asides, interstate trading and treatment of leakage. Stakeholders also asked that MISO re-evaluate the level of plant retirements, energy efficiency and penetration of solar and wind resources in the findings.
“We want as much feedback as possible. This is a very complex issue, and we don’t want to make stuff up,” Bakke said.
A final scope of study will be revealed at November’s PAC meeting.
— Amanda Durish Cook
