MISO Transmission Investments

The board of directors of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) issued a statement showing its approval of more than 350 transmission projects — representing an investment of $2.6 billion — as part of the 2017 MISO Transmission Expansion Plan (MTE) aimed at improving energy access and reliability.

The regional transmission organization said that the extensive upgrades were deemed necessary to

1. ensure the continuing reliability of the regional grid,
2. interconnect new sources of generation supply,
3. provide for increased market efficiency, and
4. reduce congestion between MISO and neighboring regions.

The MTE plan includes five interregional Targeted Market Efficiency Projects (TMEPs) which had been developed in cooperation with PJM Interconnection’s board of directors. MISO explained that TMEPs are designed to facilitate low-cost, high-value transmission projects to benefit customers and improve seamless coordination with MISO’s neighbor. The authorized projects involve upgrades to existing facilities along the MISO-PJM seam in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. In its announcement, the MISO board signaled its intent to approve in early 2018 an additional MTEP17 project — the Hartburg-Sabine Junction 500-kilovolt Market Efficiency Project in Texas.

In November, at the request of the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and the Louisiana Public Service Commission, MISO had asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve a new zone for Texas for purposes of allocating the costs of Market Efficiency Projects. A decision on that proposal is expected by the end of January 2018. The MISO board indicated that it expects to take final action on the Hartburg-Sabine Junction project in early February 2018. Once approved, the project will be eligible for MISO’s competitive developer selection process.