The ISO Market and Infrastructure Development Division conducts an annual transmission planning process and publishes a summary plan with unified planning assumptions to be included in all technical studies conducted in the coming year. Technical studies conducted in 2009 include an assessment of the transmission available to transport and deliver renewable generation power. Studies are also conducted to
review overall system reliability, local capacity requirements, the generation interconnection queue, and others. The goals of these
studies are to ensure the ISO controlled grid is reliably operated and complies with all applicable reliability standards.
Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI)
RETI is a statewide initiative begun in early 2008 to assist California with meeting renewable energy goals and to help reinforce the Western electric grid.
The ISO is working with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Energy Commission (CEC), and California's publicly-owned utilities on the RETI initiative to oversee this open process with the studies and analysis being conducted by a stakeholder steering committee. The first phase of RETI resulted in a report outlining approximately 40 Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZs) using a methodology including both economic and environmental factors. Phase 2 is ongoing, including a "Phase 2A" draft report issued June 3, 2009 that includes refined CREZs (now at 36, five of which are out of state) and also sketches out more than 100 conceptual transmission segments that will be further refined to complete a statewide conceptual transmission plan.
Conceptual renewables transmission plan Transmission planningLocation constrained resource interconnection policyThe Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a unique financing tool developed by the ISO that breaks down barriers facing renewable power development. Renewable power is often located in remote areas without power lines to connect with the grid. New power plant owners are responsible for building the "trunk lines" needed for grid access but often find it difficult to secure the upfront financing. The new LCRI financing tool has the utilities provide the upfront transmission costs, which are reimbursed by the power plant owner once the project is on line and generating power and revenue.
Generation interconnection process reformThe ISO is accelerating the development of generation projects including renewable energy plants, by introducing a streamlined application and approval process. The improved process addressed a backlog of projects in the ISO generation queue by increasing the financial commitment necessary for project developers to enter and progress through the interconnection process, studying projects with related system impacts in groups, and providing for pro-rata allocation of transmission upgrades across grouped projects.