MISO will not seek an increase in Tariff rates in 2020 despite proposed spending increases.

The RTO projects it will spend about $368 million in 2020, an 8.3% increase from 2019, with $337.7 million in operating expenses and $30.4 million in capital expenses. But it will again seek a 41-cent/MWh Tariff rate from customers, the same as last year and just a penny more than the 2018 rate.

Since Entergy joined the footprint in 2014, MISO electricity use has remained at 740 to 750 TWh annually.

MISO projects its ongoing market platform replacement project will account for $12.7 million of operating expenses and $12.3 million of capital expenses in the upcoming year. It also forecasts base operating expenses will be $264.7 million, up $9.7 million from last year.

MISO CFO Melissa Brown said a host of issues are driving the uptick in spending, including the market platform replacement, facilities upgrades, wage increases and cost increases in computer maintenance and engineering studies.

The Board of Directors’ Audit and Finance Committee voted unanimously to approve the budget proposal during a conference call Tuesday. MISO will seek a final board vote on the budget Dec. 11 during its quarterly Board Week.

— Amanda Durish Cook