On Friday, March 30, 2012, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the “Commission”) conditionally approved a proposal from the Midwest Independent System Operator (“MISO”) to change its generator interconnection queue procedures to address backlogs and late-state terminations of generation interconnection queue agreements (FERC Docket No. ER12-309-000). The new procedures are effective January 1, 2012. The reforms … Continue Reading
Two new energy storage studies are getting underway this summer in the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) footprint: the Energy Storage Study and the Manitoba Hydro Wind Synergy Study. At MISO’s Energy Storage Workshop held on June 29, 2011, MISO explained that its goals are to explore the potential reliability, market, and planning benefits of energy storage … Continue Reading
Join Stoel Rives Partners Mark Hanson and Greg Jenner in Minneapolis, for Renewable Energy in the Midwest States: New Policy, Business and Legal Developments. Here they will meet with leading renewable energy professionals, innovators and regulators to address opportunities and challenges for developers and entrepreneurs in the Midwest renewable market and the developing Smart Grid … Continue Reading
FERC Clarifies Qualifying Facility Restrictions in Sale/Resale Transactions On May 19, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") issued an order in Idaho Wind Partners I, LLC, a docket in which wind farm owners in Idaho petitioned FERC for approval of a unique transaction that would both provide eligible Renewable Energy Credits ("RECs") to a utility … Continue Reading
Yesterday, December 16, 2010, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) conditionally approved a proposal by the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO) that significantly changes how large transmission upgrades are funded across the MISO region. MISO’s proposal creates a new category of transmission projects called Multi-Value Projects (MVPs) for upgrades that are determined to enable … Continue Reading
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) opened the door today for new investment in transmission lines in the Upper Midwest that will deliver new wind energy to market. By establishing a methodology for sharing the cost of new transmission lines, FERC’s decision could provide a significant boost to wind development in the region. For more … Continue Reading
The Upper Midwest Transmission Development Initiative (UMTDI) issued its final report last week on transmission planning and cost allocation issues associated with delivering renewable energy from wind-rich areas to the region’s customers. Through UMTDI, the governors of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin collaborated to identify six renewable transmission corridors that could serve as … Continue Reading
From our colleague Sarah Johnson Phillips: Much to the relief of wind developers in the Midwest, the Midwest ISO has backed off a plan to charge new and existing generators 20% of the cost of new transmission needed to meet renewable energy development goals. Yesterday, the Midwest ISO released its final cost allocation proposal, which … Continue Reading
On August 13, 2009, the American Wind Energy Association, Wind on the Wires and certain wind developers filed protests at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator’s (MISO) recent filing at FERC. The MISO filing proposes to revise MISO’s cost allocation methodology for network upgrades for generator interconnection, and resulted from MISO’s Regional Expansion Criteria & Benefits (RECB) Task Force. The current … Continue Reading
On September 18, 2008, the Michigan legislature sent the state’s first Renewable Portfolio Standard to the Governor’s desk for signature. The package mandates "10 percent of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2015, regulatory reform that protects Michigan ratepayers and allows utility companies to build new electricity generation in Michigan, and a requirement … Continue Reading
On September 18, 2008, the Midwest states of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota announced creation of a regional transmission planning effort that will "promote regional electric transmission investment and cost sharing" among the states. Several entities, including MISO (which is currently conducting transmission planning studies in the region) and ITC, have issued press releases in favor … Continue Reading
