The practice of requiring long-term firm point-to-point transmission rights for new generators in the Pacific Northwest traditionally supported reliability for utilities that rely on BPA transmission, but has not adapted well to an environment with increasing penetrations of renewable resources. This paper describes reforms to...

Grid-Forming (GFM) Inverters GFM have received a lot of attention recently in power system organizations including NERC. The technology promises to address many of the stability issues facing the transmission system as the resource mix moves from spinning assets to inverter based resources. However...

This report describes the transmission system reliability risks associated with the retirement of synchronous generators, such as coal and natural gas plants, and the shift towards inverter-based resources like solar PV and battery energy storage systems (BESS). It highlights the essential reliability services provided by...

This Practical Guidance and Considerations for Large Load Interconnections Interim Report is still undergoing review, but it provides critical information that can inform high impact decisions being made daily by utilities and regulators. For that reason, this working paper is being released with the expectation to...

Surplus interconnection refers to the practice of allowing new electricity supply resources to connect to the grid using the same interconnection rights that have already been allocated to existing generators.7 As outlined in the Surplus Interconnection Technical Whitepaper, hundreds of gigawatts (GW) of power plants...

The U.S. electric grid is facing a triple threat of rising rates, rapid demand growth, and increasing reliability risks. These issues have wide ranging impacts on the future of America’s economic growth, industrial competitiveness, and national defense. Meanwhile, there remain challenges to quickly bring enough...

The power grid has emerged as the primary bottleneck to meeting growing electricity demand with low-cost clean energy. Demand for electricity—and especially clean electricity—has soared, driven by electrification in various sectors, the rise of data centers for artificial intelligence (AI), and booming investment in clean...

MANAGING GRID RELIABILITY IN A CHANGING WORLD
Summers and winters are introducing new grid reliability risks in the form of extreme heat and cold, both exacerbated by the climate crisis.12 Heat waves cause people and businesses to crank their air conditioners for relief, spiking electricity demand...

How much solar power capacity is available in the wholesale power market managed by the California Independent System Operator? According to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) as of 11/07/2024 there were 19,853 megawatts (MW) of solar generation connected to the CAISO grid. As of...

As part of the “Reliably Reaching California’s Clean Electricity Targets” study, concurrent wind and solar resource data was used to project the generation at renewable energy sites throughout California and the broader WECC area. The concurrent data spanned the period 2007 through 2014. During this...

Capacity expansion models are the primary method for developing resource portfolios in electricity planning exercises, including integrated resource plans and transmission plans. These models are complex and imperfect, primarily because investments in the electricity...

Capacity expansion modeling is a crucial part of power system planning. It’s the foundation of the utility’s IRP, setting a roadmap for net investments, retirements, and meeting policy goals of renewable energy production or emissions reductions. It also serves a central role for deregulated markets...

Power system planning has grown in both importance and challenges in recent years. In parallel with rapid integration of variable renewable energy sources and storage, the electric industry is facing rising load growth, evolving weather and natural disaster risks, and increasing operational complexity...

One of the pressing challenges of the clean energy transition is that getting needed new sources of electricity supply are being stymied by a combination of multi-year delays in the interconnection study process, supply chain constraints, and siting and permitting challenges...

Connected West is a 20-year transmission planning study aimed at forecasting long-range transmission infrastructure needs of the Western grid required to support a highly decarbonized and electrified economy. The study focuses on identifying “next generation” transmission investments, targeting the identification of portfolios of new transmission...

In this latest installment, the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) provides a review of California’s transmission planning, interconnection, and permitting processes so far in 2024. This report focuses on recent California...

The primary objective of the Montana resource adequacy (RA) assessment is to identify capacity needs for NorthWestern Energy (NWE) in the next 5-7 years given resource plan uncertainties and evolving coordination opportunities through the Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP). NWE is currently one of 22...

California’s Senate Bill 100 sets targets of 60% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045. In December of 2020, the California Agencies SB100 report indicated that this timeline could be accelerated in a cost-effective manner; however it noted that the reliability impacts...

GridLab has requested Telos Energy to review the report by PJM Transmission and Operations Planning, titled “BESS Technical Viability - Wagner and Brandon Shores Retirements,” released May 3, 2024 and...

California needs new low-cost generation capacity. Virtual power plants can help. A GROWING PROBLEM California has narrowly avoided significant blackouts due to shortages in power supply on multiple occasions over the past few years. Factors contributing to this challenge include increasingly extreme weather events, dependence...

Plummeting costs of clean energy and growing power demand from electrification, manufacturing, and data processing have made grid capacity one of the primary constraints in the energy transition. In the United States (U.S.), achieving the federal goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035...

Charting a Path for Greater Electrification on the Distribution System The CHARGED initiative was formed to support states as they electrify their transportation and building sectors, ensuring that the electricity distribution system is ready for this new era.Amidst a period of regulatory change and technical...

There is broad consensus that successfully addressing the climate crisis will require electrification of the transportation and building sectors. Recognizing this need, some cities and states have begun to adopt electrification policies. Ensuring that the electric distribution system is ready for this future in a...

This study assessed the statewide market potential for virtual power plants (VPPs) in California in 2035. We describe the findings of the study in our Volume I summary report. This Volume II report details the modeling approach and assumptions underlying...

GridLab is a national non-profit that provides technical grid expertise to enhance policy decision-making and ensure a rapid transition to a reliable, cost-effective, and low-carbon energy future. This fact sheet looks at the Western Markets Exploratory Group...

In 2023, GridLab worked with Telos Energy to provide an analysis of replacing Maryland based coal plant Brandon Shores with a battery energy storage system (BESS). The Brandon Shores coal plant recently announced its plan to cease operation in mid-2025. However, upon study PJM found...

This study aims to explore how Montana’s resource adequacy risks are evolving in the near-term and mid-term given resource plan uncertainties and evolving regional coordination opportunities such as under the Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP)...

The deployment of renewable energy in Texas, particularly wind and solar, has grown significantly over the past decade. Texas has almost as much wind capacity as the next four states combined1 and ERCOT recently...

The Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) has released two reports earlier this year on the need for expansion of the high voltage transmission system and for reform of the state’s permitting process to overcome delays in transmission project permitting and construction over...

Environmental Justice groups are concerned that California joining an expanded Western RTO could mean additional dispatch of gas plants in California, especially gas plants in disadvantaged communities...

Good afternoon Commissioners, Staff, and participants in this important conference. I’m Ric O’Connell, the executive director of GridLab. We are a public interest organization that provides technical assistance to regulators, with a particular focus on grid reliability...

The winter storm that hit Texas and the surrounding regions in February 2021 (often referred to as Winter Storm Uri) triggered one of the worst blackouts in recent history. In Texas, it was the first time that all 254 counties were under a winter storm...

The existing transmission system represents decades of planning decisions that were made to suit different grid and market conditions from today’s. Michigan is situated in a unique geographical position since it is within, but on the edge of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region...

The existing transmission system represents decades of planning decisions that were made to suit different grid and market conditions from today’s. Michigan is situated in a unique geographical position since it is within, but on the edge of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region...

When policy discussions for the establishment of a west-wide resource adequacy program began in 2019, the leading indicators of western reliability risk were just beginning to emerge: long-planned thermal retirements, growing drought risk, and correlated heat events were increasingly dominant anxieties for utilities and regulators...

WRAP, a first-of-its-kind non-ISO regional Resource Adequacy program, represents a huge step forward toward regional reliability analysis, planning, and coordination for the non-CA West. WRAP has the potential to help address a major collective action problem for the region – the ability to proactively assess...

Decarbonizing the power system is a central component of economy-wide decarbonization and climate mitigation. New Mexico is among several states that have set goals to fully decarbonize their power systems, setting a 100% clean electricity target. This study, called the “Moonshot study,” aimed to identify...

Although New Mexico is among several states that have set goals to fully decarbonize their power systems, most states have not yet conducted a detailed evaluation of how to achieve these targets. The original moonshot set an ambitious goal of sending humanity to the moon...

Although New Mexico is among several states that have set goals to fully decarbonize their power systems, most states have not yet conducted a detailed evaluation of how to achieve these targets. The original moonshot set an ambitious goal of sending humanity to the moon...

Although New Mexico is among several states that have set goals to fully decarbonize their power systems, most states have not yet conducted a detailed evaluation of how to achieve these targets. The original moonshot set an ambitious goal of sending humanity to the moon...

Load forecasting objectives- Develop Load shapes and end use profiles for all states in the West. 8 weather years and a TMY weather year. Use the economy-wide demand side model EnergyPATHWAYS so that the forecasted loads incorporate decarbonization impacts, especially in terms of electrification...

Electricity system planning is growing more complex as decarbonization is becoming a high priority and power system plans are including increased amounts of variable renewable resources and energy storage. Grid planning processes and software tools need to evolve to support planners and other stakeholders in...

California has made long strides towards decarbonization, but many hurdles remain. The Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) along with GridLab identified key challenges facing the state in the realm of electric transmission. The state has put forth several solutions, but this report...

Understanding Michigan’s Transmission Needs: Technical Appendix. Assess the grid’s physical capabilities and constraints for moving power into the lower peninsula...

WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THIS STUDY RESPOND TO? This study was in response to the Michigan Public Service Commission Order in Docket #U-21099 dated June 23 2022. The Commission sought comments on actions and policies that might maximize benefits to the reliability of Michigan’s transmission connections...

The existing transmission system represents decades of planning decisions that were made to suit different grid and market conditions from today’s. Michigan is situated in a unique geographical position since it is within, but on the edge of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region...

Upgrading existing and building new high voltage transmission projects is currently the key challenge facing energy policymakers. Overcoming this challenge is absolutely necessary to make substantial progress in the near future towards decarbonizing...

The Tennessee Valley Authority lags behind its peers on clean energy development and has the second-highest planned gas buildout of all major utilities in the United States.1 Its 20-year energy-planning outlook projects the agency will generate 34 million tons of carbon emissions by 2038...

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the largest provider of public power in the United States, is uniquely positioned to lead the way in the clean energy transition for Tennessee Valley. The U.S. Congress created TVA, originally conceived as a flood-control solution, as a federally owned electric...

There is an urgent need to plan the transmission grid necessary for achieving America’s increasingly ambitious offshore wind (OSW) and clean energy goals. Proactive and holistic planning for long-term transmission needs offers significant benefits, but unless these planning efforts are started now, more attractive near-term...