Upper Midwest Transmission Workshop III

Workshop Overview

December 5, 2002
Radisson City Center Hotel
411 Minnesota Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
651.291.8800

Overall Theme

Stakeholder Input into Transmission Planning in the Upper Midwest

Key Assumption

NWCC can help in guiding and strengthening the process, for example by complementing reliability-based planning through expanded stakeholder involvement. But follow-up work - the lion's share of the overall effort over a period of months and perhaps years - needs to be carried out by regional stakeholders. NWCC can facilitate the process and catalyze complementary planning, but can't, and shouldn't, be the driver. NWCC can provide initial focus for the effort, and can then assist as requested by the regional community.

Background

In May 2001 and March 2002, the NWCC conducted meetings in the Midwest on transmission. These successful meetings attracted stakeholders from across the Midwest who learned about what activities were occurring on transmission planning in the Midwest, particularly the Midwest Independent System Operator's (MISO) transmission expansion planning process. Stakeholders also learned about other perspectives on transmission in the region, and the wind industry's vision for wind development in the region.

Participants learned that the MISO staff was conducting a comprehensive planning process with stakeholders to accommodate transmission needs in the 2003-2007 timeframe. MISO staff suggested that proponents of various technologies, such as wind, provide input to the transmission expansion planning process. This process would yield an aggregate transmission expansion plan based on scenarios developed with stakeholder input. Wind proponents agreed to develop a wind scenario and submit it to the MISO planners for possible inclusion in the MISO transmission expansion plan.

The MISO has decided to analyze four scenarios for the 2003-2007 transmission expansion plans. The first scenario is the "baseline" and includes current and forecasted information from transmission owners and the MAPP Sub-regional Planning Groups such as loads and firm transmission service commitments, designated generation resources to serve load, and projected transmission plans. Scenarios 2, 3, and 4 (future system scenarios) include a high gas scenario, a high wind scenario (based on the Midwest Wind Development Plan), and a high coal scenario.

Workshop Objective and Approach

The purpose of this meeting will be to have the MISO transmission planning staff present the preliminary results of the MISO transmission expansion plan (MTEP) for the 2003-2007 timeframe. With this background in mind, the organizers of this workshop aim to assist in continuing to enhance the inclusiveness and effectiveness of the transmission planning and approval process in the Upper Midwest. Workshop participants will review the preliminary MTEP results, identify questions the long term MISO scenario planning process does not address and determine what additional input is needed into the transmission planning process.

Workshop Content

The workshop will begin with a review of the MISO transmission planning process and details of the scenarios submitted to the MISO, as well as result of the MISO analysis. Participants will then discuss transmission issues in the mid-term and short term. Finally, the workshop will conclude with a discussion about the possible next steps for the region to address long, medium and short term needs for transmission in the region.

Workshop Participants

The workshop will involve participants from all sectors with a stake in transmission evolution in the region. The aim is to include individuals who serve as key strategic resources to those who will make major decisions on transmission improvements.