CARMEL, Ind. — MISO said a spring under typical demand and generation outages shouldn’t prove much trouble.

That’s according to the RTO’s annual spring capacity outlook, which finds that its firm resources should be enough to cover peak demand in March, April and May.

Executive Director Market Operations J.T. Smith said MISO is well-positioned for spring operations coupled with generator maintenance season.

“System conditions look like we’ll be fine, even with higher load,” Smith told stakeholders at a Market Subcommittee meeting on March 2. “Overall, it’s looking like it’s going to be a pretty normal spring adventure.”

However, the grid operator acknowledged that a slim chance of simultaneous high load and high generation outages may “strain system conditions in April and May.”

MISO said it anticipates about 90 GW of peak demand in March with 109 GW of generation available to it and demand peaking around 84 GW in April with 102 GW available.

MISO doesn’t expect peak load to reach 100 GW until May; it predicts it will have 110 GW worth of probable capacity on hand by then.

But MISO said a more unlikely high outage, high demand scenario could result in a 92-GW peak demand in April with only 89 GW readily accessible or a 109-GW peak in May with about 105 GW available. In both cases, MISO would likely declare a maximum generation emergency so it can call up some of its 13 GW of load-modifying resources and operating reserves.

MISO’s spring maintenance season normally crests in April at an average 41 GW of generation unreachable. The RTO, however, contemplates outages up to 54 GW in its high-risk scenario.

MISO relies in part on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for its seasonal outlooks. The agency is forecasting normal temperatures in the RTO’s North region and normal to above normal temperatures in the Central region. MISO South is set for a greater chance of warmer temperatures.

NOAA also predicts an active precipitation pattern for most of MISO Midwest through May.