Regulatory Resources
To get wind energy to market, we must remove physical "bottlenecks" in the high voltage transmission system and construct new transmission. There are key barriers between the windiest areas and the demand centers in the upper Midwest. Existing transmission corridors are largely congested already, even before expanded wind energy capacity is introduced.
Since building new transmission lines is often controversial, Wind on the Wires will focus first on identifying the highest priority transmission upgrades.
Longer term, the transmission grid will need to be expanded to allow a significant amount of new wind energy to be transported to market.
Regulatory Resources: News and Updates
FERC Rules on Planning and Cost Allocation by Transmission Owning and Operating Public Utilities
During its July 21, 2011 hearing, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued Order No. 1000, Final Rule on Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation by Transmission Owning and Operating Public Utilities. The order reforms the Commission’s electric transmission planning and cost allocation requirements. The rule builds on the reforms of Order No. 890 and corrects remaining deficiencies with respect to transmission planning processes and cost allocation methods.
The hearing reinforced the need for broad regional based cost-allocation methodology and its benefits for renewable energy. All five commissioners were supportive of the final draft rule, though some expressed concerns over the issue of right-of-first-refusal, and the limitations placed on ROFR. Commissioner Moeller expressed broader concerns, regarding the long process and high costs of siting, and state laws and federal laws that prevent effective transmission planning.
The Commission also stressed the need for stakeholders and utilities to read the rule carefully once it is out, and recognized that the Order is only useful if it accompanies compliance.
Planning Reforms
The rule establishes three requirements for transmission planning:
• Each public utility transmission provider must participate in a regional transmission planning process that
satisfies the transmission planning principles of Order No. 890 and produces a regional transmission plan.
• Local and regional transmission planning processes must consider transmission needs driven by public policy
requirements established by state or federal laws or regulations. Each public utility transmission provider must
establish procedures to identify transmission needs driven by public policy requirements and evaluate proposed
solutions to those transmission needs.
• Public utility transmission providers in each pair of neighboring transmission planning regions must coordinate
to determine if there are more efficient or cost-effective solutions to their mutual transmission needs.
Cost Allocation Reforms
The rule establishes three requirements for transmission cost allocation:
• Each public utility transmission provider must participate in a regional transmission planning process that has a
regional cost allocation method for new transmission facilities selected in the regional transmission plan for
purposes of cost allocation. The method must satisfy six regional cost allocation principles.
• Public utility transmission providers in neighboring transmission planning regions must have a common
interregional cost allocation method for new interregional transmission facilities that the regions determine to
be efficient or cost-effective. The method must satisfy six similar interregional cost allocation principles.
• Participant-funding of new transmission facilities is permitted, but is not allowed as the regional or
interregional cost allocation method.
For more information:
View the FERC News Release.
View the FERC Fact Sheet on Order 1000.
FERC Approves MVP Cost Allocation for New Transmission
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a proposal by the Midwest Independent System Operator (Midwest ISO), the transmission grid operator for the Midwest, that will allocate 100% of the cost of new large regional transmission lines broadly across the region's consumers.
The cost proposal reflects the broad regional benefits of these new transmission lines, known as Multi-Value Projects (MVPs). MVPs will reinforce an aging Midwest grid that has not seen robust transmission expansion since the 1970s. Such an expansion will help create a more flexible grid to deliver renewable energy, seize energy efficiency opportunities, reduce electricity bills and help keep the lights on.
The FERC approval of the new MVP designation was welcomed by regional wind energy advocacy group Wind on the Wires. According to Executive Director Beth Soholt, "Transmission is a key piece to unlocking our clean energy future, and we are pleased that FERC approved the Midwest ISO cost allocation proposal for Multi-Value Projects, which will help us realize the jobs, economic growth and environmental benefits that wind can deliver for the Midwest. We look forward to working with the Midwest ISO to move MVP lines into the Midwest ISO Transmission Expansion Plan for 2011 (MTEP'11) to boost our Midwest grid and help ensure that wind projects can deliver their energy to market."
Along with approving the cost allocation for MVPs, FERC also approved a proposal that allocates 90% of the costs for new generator interconnection lines (the "on ramps" to the regional grid) directly to a new generator. While these generator interconnection lines are generally smaller, and probably less expensive than the larger MVP lines, it will be critical to understand in the transmission study process which lines are needed solely to interconnect a new generator or group of generators and which lines bring broader benefits and should be paid for by all users of the transmission system. To keep the generator interconnection lines cost effective, it will be important to have as many of the MVP lines approved in MTEP'11 as possible.
Statement of FERC Chairman John Wellinghoff
Statement of FERC Commissioner John Norris
Wind on the Wires Key Accomplishments for 2009
Highlights from Wind on the Wires' efforts to help bring wind energy to market in the Midwest.
Ohio RPS
New Ohio law expected to spawn 5,000 to 7,000 MW Wind market.
See the attached article published in AWEA's Wind Energy Weekly, Issue 1287.
Attached PDF
1. AWEA WEW OH RPS Artilce 4-25-2008
ITC Midwest FERC Filing
ITC Midwest filed to reimburse new generators 100% for Network Upgrades. WOW and AWEA will be filing supportive comments at FERC on this request. ITC Midwest is a transmission-only company. They purchased the transmission assets formerly owned by Interstate Power & Light in Iowa and Minnesota.
Attached PDF
1. ITC Midwest April 4, 2008 FERC Filing
MISO Queue Reform
Follow the link to the latest information on the MISO Queue reform process.
Attached Link
1. MISO Queue Reform
Minnesota Biennial Transmission Plan 2007
The 2007 Minnesota Biennial Transmission Projects Report and the Renewable Energy Standards Report (Report) was filed with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on November 1, 2007,
Docket No. E-999/M-07-1028. WOW submitted comments on these filed reports mainly on sections
related to the transmission needed to comply with the Minnesota Renewable Energy Standard (RES).
Attached Link and Files
1. To search the MN PUC for Case Control Sheet:
Click on Link: https://www.edockets.state.mn.us/EFiling/DocumentSearch.do
Enter Docket No. 07-1028 (enter "07" in the "year" box) and (enter "1028" in the "number" box)
Click on the Search button at the bottom of the page (no need to enter a document type)
2. WOW Comments January 15, 2008
3. WOW Reply Comments March 3, 2008
Xcel Energy Renewable Energy Plan
Xcel filed its Renewable Energy Plan with the Minnesota Public Utilites Commission,
Docket No. E-002/M-07-1558. Xcel's initial filing can be accessed by searching the docket number on the case control sheet link below. Wind on the Wires is participating in this docket.
Attached Link and Files
1. To search the MN PUC for Case Control Sheet:
Click on Link: https://www.edockets.state.mn.us/EFiling/DocumentSearch.do
Enter Docket No.07-1558 (enter "07" in the "year" box) and (enter "1558" in the "number" box)
Click on the Search button at the bottom of the page (no need to enter a document type)
2. WOW/IWLA-MWO/Fresh Energy/MCEA Comments February 11, 2008
3. WOW/IWLA-MWO/Fresh Energy/MCEA Reply Comments March 3, 2008
Multi-State Tracking and Trading System for Renewable Energy Credits (also known as MRETS)
Multi-State Tracking and Trading System for Renewable Energy Credits, Dockets Nos. E-999/CI-04-1616
and E999/CI-03-869. These dockets are related. Wind on the Wires has filed comments and reply comments that should appear under both docket numbers.
Attached Link and Files
1. To search the MN PUC for Case Control Sheet:
Click on Link: https://www.edockets.state.mn.us/EFiling/DocumentSearch.do
Enter Docket No. 04-1616 (enter "04" in the "year" box) and (enter "1616" in the "number" box)
Click on the Search button at the bottom of the page (no need to enter a document type)
Repeat search for Docket 03-869
2. WOW Initial Comments 10-01-07
3. WOW Reply Comments 10-29-07
CapX2020 Certificate of Need for three 345 kV Transmission Lines
CapX2020 Initiative, Capital Expenditures by the Year 2020, is a coordinated effort to develop an efficient approach to improving the regional transmission system. Xcel Energy and Great River Energy filed an Application to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for Certificates of Need for three 345kV Transmission Line Projects and Associated System Connections, Docket No. ET02, E002/CN-06-1115. WOW has filed Comments, Reply Comments and various other documents in this docket. A current list of filed documents can be found on the MN PUC website; see link below.
Attached Link
1. To search the MN PUC for Case Control Sheet:
Click on Link: https://www.edockets.state.mn.us/EFiling/DocumentSearch.do
Enter Docket No. 06-1115 (enter "06" in the "year" box) and (enter "1115" in the "number" box)
Click on the Search button at the bottom of the page (no need to enter a document type)
All "Public" documents can be viewed and/or downloaded.
2. For more information on CapX2020 projects and initiatives: http://www.capx2020.com/index.html
Archive
Windpower Advanced by Powerline Approval
Wind power in Minnesota was advanced dramatically on January 31, 2003. A new powerline designed to carry wind energy from the Buffalo Ridge to the metro area was approved by utility regulators at the Public Utility Commission (PUC). The powerline proposed by Xcel Energy was approved with conditions developed by Wind on the Wires and is projected to be in service in 2006.
Attached PDFs
1. 345_Order.pdf
2. 345_presentation.pdf
MISO Board Approves 2003 Transmission Expansion Plan
On June 23, 2003, the Board of Directors of the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) unanimously endorsed the 2003 Transmission Expansion Plan that includes $1.3 billion in transmission grid improvements for regional reliability. The transmission improvements will be made by MISOﾒs transmission owners in the region to address local reliability needs, load growth and connection of new generation projects to the grid. MISO is the regional entity that is responsible for ensuring the reliable operation of the wholesale electric transmission system and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.
The plan, known as the MISO Transmission Expansion Plan (MTEP), analyzed four separate generation development scenarios and 11 different transmission concepts. One of the four generation scenarios was a ﾓHigh Wind Scenarioﾔ provided by Wind on the Wires and the American Wind Energy Association in the Midwest Wind Development Plan document. The High Wind Scenario called on MISO to model transmission infrastructure necessary to export to market approximately 10,000 MW of wind energy from the upper Midwest. A copy of the Midwest Wind Development Plan is available here: http://www.midwestiso.org/plan_inter/documents/expansion_planning/MTEP%202002-2007%20Board%20Approved%20061903.pdf
The MTEP found that building new wind generation, as well as other types of generation, could result in lower marginal costs of wholesale energy provided additional transmission investment is made. The MTEP also found that transmission expansion could result in improved delivery of the most efficient existing and new resources. While the 2003 MTEP contains much analysis, MISO plans to do additional work on several ﾓexploratory transmission scenariosﾔ to determine whether it would be beneficial to move forward with identified segments of transmission. Wind on the Wires is interested in further analysis and development of several of the exploratory transmission configurations.
2002 Midwest Wind Development Plan
Wind on the Wires (WOW) works with wind energy companies and stakeholders active in the region to develop projections of potential wind development in the upper Midwest. The projections include ocations, markets, and costs. The purpose of the first Midwest Wind Development Plan (attached below), developed in 2002, was for input into MISOﾒs regional transmission expansion planning process. WOW prepared a ﾓhigh windﾔ scenario of 10,000 MW for MISOﾒs regional transmission expansion plan, as a means of identifying what transmission infrastructure is necessary to deliver wind energy to market. WOW estimated in 2002 that 5,500 to 10,000 MW of new wind power could be developed in the Midwest over the coming decade. Wind on the Wires is currently updating our 2002 Midwest Wind Development Plan.
Attached PDF
1. 2002_Midwest_Wind_Development_Plan_060102.pdf
Minnesota’s Renewable Electricity Standard
Minnesota's Renewable Electricity Standard
On Thursday, February 22, 2007, Governor Pawlenty signed the
Minnesota Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) into law.
The bill passed the House floor on a vote of 123 to 10.
Support in the Senate was even greater with a final vote of 63 to 3.
Attached PDF
1. MN Renewable Electricity Standard