All storage resources wanting to qualify as capacity should register as behind-the-meter for the 2017/18 planning year, MISO said at last week’s two-day Resource Adequacy Subcommittee meeting.

Manager of Resource Adequacy John Harmon said the requirement is a way to accredit storage resources using MISO’s existing framework for load-modifying resources while the RTO develops more comprehensive definitions for storage.

MISO said it is attempting to “clarify the framework” for allowing storage that can provide four hours of continuous energy to offer capacity while also participating as Stored Energy Resource (SER) in the regulation market.

Harmon said more discussion is needed for qualifying storage resources that do not wish to be classified as behind-the-meter. MISO also has yet to develop procedures to support sustained power from storage resources, Harmon said.

“We worked through that [research and development] process and found it would not be feasible for registration in time for the 2017/18 planning year,” Harmon said.

In preparation for next year’s auction, MISO is proposing to certify the capability of storage as capacity based on data from the Generating Availability Data System. Class or fleet averages will be used for storage with less than 12 months of GADS data.

The RTO is asking stakeholders this week for input on incorporating storage using the existing qualification process.

Kent Feliks, manager of regulatory and RTO policy at American Electric Power, asked how many storage resources are going to be able to register as capacity in the near future.

“It’s pretty small. It’s probably less than 100 MW, and that’s being generous,” Harmon said.

Consumers Energy’s Jeff Beattie asked how many megawatts of storage are currently in the interconnection queue.

“I can’t answer that, but I do hear interest from individual market participants. From what I see, we’re at the early stages. That’s why we have rules dealing in the short term and are talking about developing solutions to get ahead of this as much as we can,” Harmon said.

RASC to Take Up Gas-Electric Coordination

Renuka Chatterjee, MISO executive director of resource adequacy and transmission access planning, told the RASC to send ideas and comments on a plan to improve gas-electric coordination.

Chatterjee also said the RASC would probably take over management of MISO’s winter fuel survey, which was previously handled by the now-closed Electric and Natural Gas Coordination Task Force.

— Amanda Durish Cook