The ultimate future of FERC Order 1920 depends on rehearing, implementation and inevitable litigation, but after reading through the order itself in the past week, many stakeholders see it as an important step forward in expanding the grid.

FERC issued Order 1920, its long-awaited final rule on long-term regional transmission planning and cost allocation, but it could not fulfill hopes for a unanimous vote.

FERC is set to vote on its long-awaited proposed rule on transmission planning and cost allocation for regional lines at a special open meeting May 13.

The NEPOOL Transmission Committee voted to approve a proposal by ISO-NE and the New England States Committee on Electricity to create a new process to facilitate transmission investments that address state-identified, long-term needs associated with the clean energy transition.

MISO’s conceptual, $20 billion, 765-kV transmission suggestion took top billing at Board Week, with some members asserting MISO has even more transmission to plan if it wants to meet the future confidently.

FERC appears to be nearing completion on its transmission planning rulemaking, with cost allocation rules and the federal ROFR among the issues at stake.