The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has recently approved a new proposal from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) to limit its interconnection queue studies, despite concerns from clean energy advocates. This decision aims to help streamline the interconnection process, making it more efficient and transparent for customers wanting to connect to the transmission system.
MISO’s new limit will be implemented during its upcoming interconnection study, which is set to begin this fall. This move follows a previous rejection by FERC of MISO’s initial proposal last year, due to concerns about exemptions that could arise and potential issues with resource adequacy.
Currently, MISO is dealing with a significant influx of interconnection requests, totaling 309 gigawatts (GW). To put this in perspective, MISO’s peak load was recorded at 127.1 GW, with 191 GW of capacity available in its region as of December 2023.
According to the new rules, MISO will apply a cap of 50% of the non-coincident peak value for each study area based on its latest transmission expansion model. FERC believes this will enable MISO to conduct studies with more realistic assumptions, leading to faster and more informative results for interconnection customers, ultimately reducing delays.
One significant change from MISO’s original proposal is the inclusion of capacity from exempt projects when setting the queue caps. This means that requests deemed exempt will not have priority entry into the queue. Exemptions will be granted for certain conditions, such as when a larger power plant replaces a retiring one, or when a facility converts its service type.
FERC Chairman Mark Christie expressed support for revisiting prior exemptions related to resource adequacy, suggesting that state regulators play an essential role in ensuring reliable power supply. However, FERC has dismissed arguments from various clean energy associations that the new cap might hinder competition and limit access to the grid.
The anticipated changes highlight MISO’s aim to ensure fair access to interconnection requests while maintaining the integrity of the grid. MISO plans to reassess the queue cap’s effectiveness after completing three study cycles, allowing for stakeholder input on how to move forward.