Interconnection Level Transmission Planning and Analysis

Governors and public utility commissioners within the Western Interconnection share the goal of having an electricity generation and transmission system that is clean, secure, reliable and reasonably priced. Reaching that goal requires greater development and use of renewable energy resources and expansion of the existing transmission grid.

The Western Governors’ Association, Western Interstate Energy Board and Western Electricity Coordinating Council are working with diverse stakeholders through the Regional Transmission Expansion Project (RTEP) to analyze transmission requirements under a broad range of alternative energy futures and to develop long-term, interconnection-wide transmission expansion plans. Information on wildlife sensitivities and water availability is being developed to minimize impacts of potential future energy generation on already limited water resources, wildlife and other important land uses.

Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, this project will produce invaluable information in siting new transmission. The RTEP builds upon stakeholder recommendations made as part of the Western Renewable Energy Zones initiative. WGA and the U.S. Department of Energy launched the WREZ initiative in 2008 and a Phase 1 report that included a map of high quality, developable renewable resource areas was completed in 2009. Following is a short description of the work underway.

Task 1 - WREZ Phase 3

Under WREZ Phase 3, preferred renewable energy zones are to be identified amongst the load serving entities. The Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) interviewed a number of utilities, PUC commissioners and state energy offices to compile their interest in remote renewable resources. The report presents interview responses in aggregate, with exceptions such as preferred renewable energy zones identified by the utilities and potential partners (Tables 4, 5, 7 and 11) and utility perspectives on the impact of foundational lines on future resource procurement (Section 3.3). The Executive Summary discusses the key findings and suggests recommendations for consideration bystates, provinces and regional bodies.  

Task 2 - WREZ Phase 4

The report to the governors will be posted to WGA's Web site after it is approved in June.

Task 3 – Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool

Funding within this project is being utilized by WGA and members of the Western Governors’ Wildlife Council to develop a useful and consistent source of mapped biological information throughout the West. When complete in 2013, the West-wide Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool will be an easily accessible online system of maps displaying crucial wildlife habitat and corridors across the West.

 In 2010, Western state wildlife agencies launched regional pilot projects to test guidance outlined in the Wildlife Council’s White Paper. The year-long pilot projects supported coordination across political jurisdictions including inventorying common data, improving data development and data management, and increasing data sharing – all with the aim of identifying crucial habitat and corridors in a compatible manner across the West.

Based on significant knowledge gains from the pilot projects, in August 2011 the Wildlife Council refined their vision and established clearer milestones. Efforts over the next two years will provide publicly-available, regionally-compatible crucial habitat and corridor information in the West-wide CHAT by 2013. All the while, WGWC will continue to support the development of state-specific CHATs in individual states, as desired. Find more information about CHAT development and WGWC meetings and activities on the Wildlife Corridors and Crucial Habitat webpage.

Western states and provinces  established a State-Provincial Steering Committee (SPSC) to oversee the implementation of Topic B activities and to provide input into Topic A work.   The 25-member Steering Committee  includes representatives for governors, public utility commissions and the Canadian provinces of  Alberta and British Columbia. 

To date, the Steering Committee has established decision rules and procedures for public input; adopted a charter; established three work groups related to electricity demand, scenario development and grid utilization; nominated state representatives to the Scenario Planning Steering Group; and adopted a “living” work plan. 

In the execution of its work, the Steering Committee will, at a minimum, take into consideration the following: 

• Future demand, including potential demand from plug-in vehicles
• Demand reduction options
• Currently proposed transmission projects
• Economic and environmental implications, including greenhouse gas impacts from the electricity sector and related sectors, such as transportation
• Water and wildlife constraints
• Reliability and security needs
• State and consumer interests
• Effective integration of variable generation

The Committee’s deliberations will be open to all supply- and demand-side technology and policy options and reflect individual state/provincial energy policies.

Sample work to be performed:  

• Develop scenarios to submit to the WECC
• Participate in WECC technical analysis
• Engage SPSC in reviewing study requests and study results; make appropriate recommendations
• Participate in subregional planning groups
• Develop processes for integrating variable generation into the grid
• Review efficient use of the existing transmission system

Task 5 - Energy and Water Nexus

Water is a precious and limited resource, particularly in the western United States.  Western Governors have long recognized looming challenges with meeting demand and see the RTEP as an opportunity to develop and further the understanding of the impacts of our energy choices on water availability.  According to a report by the U.S. Department of Energy, by 2030, "(water) consumption by the electricity sector alone could equal the entire country’s 1995 domestic water consumption."

WGA will work with state water managers, energy offices, and regulators as well as other agencies authorities with responsibility for water supply management and electricity production to develop a better understanding of the impacts of our energy choices on water.  The information generated by this task will be important in the development and evaluation of scenarios generated under Topic A to ensure that the energy development scenarios can be accommodated within existing and future water resource constraints in the West.  Specifically, WGA will seek to:

• Incorporate existing water supply assessments in Western states into a decision support framework for integrated energy-water planning
• Evaluate electricity generation scenarios and their implications for water supply as part of Topic A
• Develop policies and/or programs to facilitate sustainable energy development in the context of economy-wide water availability

Briefing Slides -- April 6, 2011

To assist in navigating the renewable energy development process, the Western Governors' Association prepared a "roadmap" of the steps an energy project, whether generation or transmission, typically takes from concept to construction. The roadmap highlights key information compiled from existing national, regional, and state studies, and points to sources of information that contain additional details. It identifies key issues that typically face energy development projects in the Western U.S. and some strategies for addressing challenges that may arise along the way.