Regional Project for Energy Transmission Announced

Press Release

Regional Project for Energy Transmission Announced

Gov. Mike Rounds today announced that South Dakota and four Midwest states have created a regional transmission planning effort that will promote regional electric transmission investment and cost sharing.

The Upper Midwest Transmission Development Initiative will identify energy generation resources, transmission projects, and infrastructure needed to support those resources in a cost-effective manner. Over the next 12 months, participants will determine a reasonable allocation of costs for necessary infrastructure ultimately leading to the development of a concrete plan or tariff proposal for consideration by the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO).

Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota join South Dakota to coordinate efforts among state regulatory agencies, transmission companies, utilities, independent generation owners, and other key stakeholders in the initiative. These states will work closely with MISO, which is presently conducting a variety of transmission planning studies with results expected in 2009. Governors of all five states praised the effort as a necessary step in facilitating cooperative transmission planning at the regional level.

"This effort complements and meshes very well with ongoing initiatives at MISO and the Midwest Governors Association," said Gov. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, who is also the current MGA Chair.

"The positive economic implications of sound energy planning are obvious," said North Dakota Governor John Hoeven. "North Dakota and the four other states involved in this initiative stand to gain from transmission investments that are timely, well-designed, and regionally coordinated."

"Coordinated transmission planning centered on renewable energy is critical to providing a diverse supply of affordable, clean energy to our region," said Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle. "The coordinated transmission planning we are announcing today matches the recommendations made in a report by Wisconsin's Global Warming Task Force."

"The time is right for planning and coordination between these states in the Midwest ISO," Governor Pawlenty said. "As states in the region increase their use of wind energy, planning on how best to locate wind farms and other renewable sources and build the necessary transmission infrastructure to support them is crucial."

"I'm committed to Iowa's continued production of renewable energy," said Iowa Governor Chet Culver. "A critical issue is cost sharing, and I am confident that this group of like-minded states can work through that difficult issue."

Participants of the initiative will hold their first meeting in October. Afterward a project timeline, scope statement, work plan, and identification of appropriate stakeholders will be available.

Source