"For the first time in a decade, the grid operator for much of the central United States has put forward a long-range transmission road map that calls for tens of billions of dollars in new projects to help states and utilities across the region unlock renewable energy potential and achieve their climate goals.
The plan developed by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator is less ambitious than what would be required under President Biden's vision for a carbon-free power sector by 2035. But it's seen by many as a necessary — and, by many accounts, overdue — first step toward a cleaner and more resilient bulk power grid. The process of implementing the plan also underscores the cost and timing challenges associated with reaching carbon-free power.
The road map, which looks at needs over a 20-year horizon, takes into account regional needs and represents the scope of new transmission that will be required to meet the existing energy and climate goals of states and utilities in MISO's 15-state territory. The approach is a departure from how most new transmission projects within MISO are planned — one that looks first at more localized needs."
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