Through the Transmission Workgroup, the NWCC was a leading facilitator and resource to stakeholders and worked to ensure that wind power receives fair – though not preferential – treatment with respect to transmission services.

Between 1999 and 2010, the NWCC contributed significantly to enabling wind power’s expansion by engaging industry, federal and state agencies, legislators, environmental organizations, and regulators in dialogues to examine issues that impact the integration of wind power onto the transmission grid and generate solutions that address the transmission challenges facing wind power development.

By providing a national model of collaboration and a forum for other stakeholders to participate in transmission planning processes, the NWCC Transmission Workgroup made a contribution to transforming the transmission planning landscape from an isolated, expert-driven decision-making process to an increasingly open and collaborative process accommodating a larger group of stakeholders and their interests. This model was ratified by Congress and applied to the entire country in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which required the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to engage the three national grids in planning that included stakeholder participation.

Over the course of 12 years, NWCC’s studies, education, outreach, and meetings resulted in many achievements by:

• stimulating dialogue;

• providing education that enabled hundreds of people to take part knowledgeably in transmission discussions;
  

• increasing the wind community’s awareness of the complexities of reliable power system operation and the technical issues arising from wind integration;
  

• informing policy and regulatory decisions across the country; and
  

• prompting increased consideration of wind power’s value.
  

Notably, NWCC has contributed to the following initiatives, studies, and goals:

• Western Governors’ Association’s (WGA) Clean and Diversified Energy Analysis project and Western Renewable Energy Zones (WREZ) Initiative

• Western Electricity Coordinating Council’s Regional Transmission Expansion Planning project
  

• Midwestern Independent System Operator’s (MISO) 20% wind study plans
  

• CAPX2020 initiative in Minnesota
  

• Joint Coordinated System Plan study
  

• Midwestern Governors Association (MGA) Renewables and Transmission Goals
  

To read a summary of the outcomes, approach, history, and successes of the NWCC Transmission Workgroup since its inception, please click here.