Western Power Pool has announced the 24 members of a stakeholder group that will participate in the Western Transmission Expansion Coalition (WestTEC), a West-wide transmission planning effort. 

The appointments to the Regional Engagement Committee (REC) complete WestTEC’s organizational structure as the group dives into its work this year. 

WestTEC’s goal is to approach transmission planning across the West in a “holistic and coordinated manner” to meet the grid’s future needs, according to a concept paper released last October. (See Plan Seeks to Boost Prospects for New Transmission in the West.) 

Western Power Pool (WPP) serves as the WestTEC facilitator. 

“Having this last committee filled is a big step,” WPP CEO Sarah Edmonds said in a statement Feb. 27. “We will bring the group together in the very near future so they can start their important work.” 

The WestTEC effort is being overseen by a Steering Committee consisting of representatives of transmission-owning utilities from across the West; WECC; and the region’s three planning groups — CAISO, WestConnect and NorthernGrid. The steering committee is WestTEC’s primary decision-making body. 

A WestTEC Assessment Technical Team (WATT) will define the scope and approach for a transmission study, working with consultant Energy Strategies. WATT will receive guidance from the steering committee. 

The REC will provide input to the steering committee and will play a “critical role” in WestTEC, according to Edmonds. 

Among the REC’s 24 members are four members of the WestTEC Steering Committee, who will “ensure continuity between committees,” WPP said: Kris Bremer of PacifiCorp, Todd Fridley of Public Service Company of New Mexico, Ravi Aggarwal of the Bonneville Power Administration and Kris Raper of WECC. 

In addition, REC will include representatives of the following sectors: 

• • consumer-owned utilities: four members, including Chris Heimgartner of Whatcom County (Wash.) PUD. 
  • public interest organizations: four members, including Vijay Satyal of Western Resource Advocates. 
  • ratepayer advocacy organizations: two members. 
  • tribes: one member. 
  • independent transmission companies: four members, including Robb Davis of GridLiance. 
  • independent power producers: four members, including Tashiana Wangler of Avangrid Renewables. 
  • industrial customers: one member, Heidi Ratz of the Clean Energy Buyers Association. 

The REC’s makeup changed from that outlined in the concept paper in response to stakeholder feedback, WPP said.  

Representation was expanded from two to four members for some sectors, including public interest organizations, independent transmission companies and independent power producers. Other sectors, such as investor-owned utilities, were eliminated from REC due to their representation on the steering committee. 

The state agency sector was removed from REC because states plan to engage with WestTEC through the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation’s Transmission Collaborative. 

A full list of REC members is available in WPP’s release. A list of Steering Committee and WATT members is here. 

WPP gave a WestTEC update during a call Jan. 29. (See Group Looks to Create ‘Actionable’ West-wide Transmission Plan.) In addition, WPP said it plans to hold quarterly public webinars on the project.