Wind energy needs fair access to the electric transmission system that delivers power to market. But the "rules of the road" for this road to market were written for traditional forms of generation such as coal, nuclear and natural gas. The old rules tend to penalize new competitors and new technologies. Intermittent generators like wind power, which produce electricity only when the wind blows, often pay substantial penalties as a result, effectively keeping them out of the market. And new generators can be required to pay the full cost of upgrading the transmission system, giving a huge advantage to the existing generators. Finally, while there are regional transmission planning groups, their decisions to upgrade the wires usually focus on technical problems, and may not reflect other goals like environmental benefits or state renewable energy preferences and requirements.

Wind on the Wires is working with regulators to level the playing field for wind power by:

1) Developing a "high wind" scenario for the upper Midwest. The high wind scenario will help determine how the transmission system may need to be improved or expanded to accommodate the development of 10,000 MW of wind power in the upper Midwest. The results will help inform state and federal regulators, the public, and other stakeholders about the infrastructure necessary to deliver significant amounts of wind power to market.

2) Ensuring that new transmission lines constructed for wind power actually carry wind-generated electricity. In December 2001, Xcel Energy filed an application for 4 new large high voltage transmission lines in Southwest Minnesota to provide additional capacity for wind power. WOW crafted a series of conditions to ensure, to the extent possible, that the new transmission lines would be used for their intended purpose: to carry wind power. In January 2003, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission granted to 4 new transmission lines and attached the conditions crafted by WOW.

3) Working with state and federal regulators to ensure rules governing transmission access are equitable for all generators. For instance, WOW staff testified at a FERC hearing on DATE regarding regional interconnection "queue" issues. WOW, in conjunction with colleague organizations, is participating on the development of regional tariff issues at the MISO to ensure that the market rules allow wind power to fairly participate in the marketplace.

Downloadable Documents

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 Files
1. 345_Order.pdf
2. 345_presentation.pdf

Position Announcement - Senior Policy Associate
Wind on the Wires is hiring.

Wind on the Wires seeks a Senior Policy Associate to staff its St. Paul office. WOW is looking for a detail-oriented self-starter who can work both independently and as part of a team.

Please feel free to download the full position description below.

Attached Files
1. Senior_Policy_Associate_position_announcement.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.

Attached Files

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 locations, 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 Files
1. 2002_Midwest_Wind_Development_Plan_060102.pdf