ISO New England is hosting a public forum on this year’s draft Regional System Plan for the New England power grid, which lays out a 10-year plan for the system, on Sept. 12 at The Colonnade Hotel in Boston, Mass.
Developed through an open stakeholder process that involves New England state regulators and policymakers, companies doing business in the marketplace, and other interested stakeholders, the 2013 Regional System Plan presents the forecast for New England’s electricity needs over the next 10 years, said ISO-NE in a Sept. 12 statement. It describes how generation, demand-side resources, and transmission upgrades can help meet these needs. Each plan identifies improvements on a regional and location-specific basis that are necessary to maintain a reliable power grid and comply with national and regional planning standards.
In addition to the overview of the draft plan for review and comment, the meeting also features a keynote address by Daniel Esty, commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. A panel discussion among state regulators and top industry experts explores the challenges presented by the growing quantities of distributed generation, including solar installations, and how to address the challenges of integrating these mostly small, intermittent sources of power into the New England electric grid.
The final 2013 Regional System Plan is expected to be issued in October.
Created in 1997, ISO New England is the independent, not-for-profit corporation responsible for the reliable operation of New England’s electric power generation and transmission system, overseeing and ensuring the fair administration of the region’s wholesale electricity markets, and managing comprehensive regional electric power planning.
