Studies and Reports > 2023 Biennial Report > Transmission Studies

Transmission Studies

3.1  Introduction

The Commission requires the utilities include in each Biennial Report a “list of studies that have been completed, are in progress, or are planned that are relevant to each of the inadequacies identified” in the Report.16 Since the 2011 Biennial Report, the utilities have broken this chapter up into several subsections, each addressing different types of studies. The same arrangement for reporting the studies is continued in this 2023 Report.

Section 3.2 describes studies completed to either address expansion of the transmission network to provide for generation expansion or address local inadequacy issues (noted with a Tracking Number). Section 3.3 describes ongoing regional studies that focus on expansion of the bulk electric system to address broad regional reliability issues and support expansion of renewable energy in the upper Midwest. Section 3.4 focuses on ongoing load serving studies done to address local inadequacy issues.

The MPUC rules state that the utilities must include in the Biennial Report a copy of “the most recent regional load and capability report of the Mid-Continent Area Power Pool.”17 As the utilities reported in the 2011 Report, however, MISO has taken over most of the planning that occurs in this part of the country. MAPP has not prepared a Load & Capability Report since May 2009. MAPP, in fact, discontinued its existence in October 2015.

Completed Studies

The following studies were completed since the last Biennial Report was submitted in October 2021. Previously completed studies can be found in previous Biennial Reports and are not repeated here. Where specific transmission projects have been identified, a Tracking Number is provided. The Tracking Number identifies the year the project was first considered for inclusion in a Biennial Report and the zone where the project is located.

3.3    Regional Studies

While every study undertaken adds to the knowledge of the transmission engineers and helps to determine the transmission facilities required to address long-term reliability and to transport renewable energy from various parts of the state to the customers, some studies are intentionally designed to take a broader look at overall transmission needs. Regional studies analyze the limitation of the regional transmission system and develop transmission alternatives to support multiple generation interconnection requests, regional load growth, and the elimination of transmission constraints that adversely affect utilities’ ability to deliver energy to the market in a cost-effective manner. 

MISO started a Regional Transmission Overlay Study (RTOS) in 2016, but due to limited benefits identified in the study MISO has put the study effort on hold.

3.3.1  MISO Transmission Expansion Plans

MISO engages in annual regional transmission planning and documents the results of its planning activities in the MTEP reports. The MTEP process is explained in detail in chapter 6 since the latest MTEP reports are being relied on to provide information about the transmission inadequacies identified in this Report. Earlier MTEP Reports were summarized in past Biennial Reports. For convenience, the following brief description of the latest MTEP reports is presented here. The MISO Expansion Plans are available on the MISO webpage. Visit http://www.misoenergy.org and click on “Planning.”

MTEP20 Report
The MTEP20 report identified projects required to maintain reliability for the ten-year period through the year 2029 and provides a preliminary evaluation of projects that may be required for economic benefit up to twenty years in the future.

According to the MTEP20 Executive Summary, the MISO staff recommended approval of approximately $2.5 billion in new transmission infrastructure investment. Of the $2.5 billion, $1 billion is new Baseline Reliability Projects, $606 million is Generation Interconnection Projects, and the remainder falls into the Other category.

MTEP21 Report
The MTEP21 report identified projects required to maintain reliability for the ten-year period through the year 2030 and provides a preliminary evaluation of projects that may be required for economic benefit up to twenty years in the future.

According to the MTEP21 Executive Summary, the report included 335 new transmission projects, equaling $3 billion in investment to address near-term reliability needs and aging infrastructure. Of the $3 billion, $345 million were Generator Interconnection Projects, $187 million were new Baseline Reliability Projects, and approximately $2.5 billion fell into the Other category.

MTEP22 Report
The MTEP22 report identified projects required to maintain reliability and provides a preliminary evaluation of projects that may be required for economic benefit up to twenty years in the future.

According to the MTEP22 Executive Summary, the report proposed approval of 382 new transmission projects with $4.3 billion in investment to address current reliability needs and regional upgrades. Of the $4.3 billion, $8 million were Market Participant Funded projects, $547 million were Generator Interconnection Projects, $545 million were new Baseline Reliability projects, and approximately $3.17 billion fell into the Other category.

MTEP23 DRAFT Report
The MTEP23 DRAFT report identifies projects required to maintain reliability and provides a preliminary evaluation of projects that may be required for economic benefit up to twenty years in the future. MISO updated the MTEP portal on October 17, 2023, which can be found at MTEP23 Report (misoenergy.org).

3.4   Load-Serving Studies

Load-serving studies focus on addressing load serving needs in a particular area or community.  Since many of the inadequacies in Chapter 6 are driven by load serving needs, many of these studies relate to specific Tracking Numbers.