Planning the Grid for Increased Renewables: An Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative White Paper

ATLANTA, Oct. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a white paper issued today, the Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIPC) identifies challenges and offers recommendations to ensure the reliability of the transmission grid as system operators work to integrate an increasing level of renewable resources.

While it is noted that the opportunities provided by higher levels of renewable energy production are well known, this paper seeks to better explain some of the challenges being experienced by organizations with the responsibility of planning and operating the Eastern Interconnection power system.

"EIPC believes policymakers should be aware of both the opportunities and challenges of integrating greater amounts of renewables on the grid," said Keith Daniel, senior vice president for Transmission Policy at Georgia Transmission Corp. and chairman of the EIPC Executive Committee. "This understanding will assist policymakers in working with the electric industry and end-users to develop policies that ensure continued reliability, efficiency and affordability of electricity."

The EIPC white paper recognizes that an energy transition is well underway and the electric industry has already implemented many lessons learned while adapting to that change. Renewable wind and solar resources are rapidly growing throughout the Eastern Interconnection; however, that growth is not uniform in either the rate of adoption or technology type. Accordingly, the white paper focuses on what has been learned through historical experience and studies of future conditions by the EIPC member regions as they relate to the planning and operations of high renewable systems.

"EIPC is a first-of-its-kind collaborative currently made up of the major U.S.-based Transmission Planning Coordinators responsible for the planning of the bulk power grid throughout the Eastern Interconnection," added Daniel. "The Eastern Interconnection represents approximately two-thirds of the U.S. and Canada. Given the size and the significant diversity within the interconnection, the insights among the Planning Coordinators provide a robust view on planning the transmission grid of the future."

The white paper concludes that these challenges, while significant, are not insurmountable ? but should be considered in the continued movement toward a power system made up of a significant amount of renewable resources. Most critically, EIPC urges grid operators and planners to be more engaged in the discussions to ensure continued delivery of reliable, efficient and affordable electricity to all consumers during the transition.

The white paper is posted on the EIPC website at
https://eipconline.com/s/EIPC-Hi-Renewables-WHITE-PAPER-FINAL-FOR-POSTING-10-5-21.pdf

About the EIPC

Formed under an agreement by 19 planning authorities from the eastern and central U.S., the Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIPC) provides a forum for interconnection-wide coordination of system planning activities of its member regions in the Eastern Interconnection. The EIPC membership currently includes Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Cube Hydro Carolinas, LLC; Duke Energy Carolinas, Duke Energy Florida, and Duke Energy Progress; Louisville Gas & Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company; Florida Power & Light Company; Georgia Transmission Corp. (An Electric Membership Corporation); ISO New England, Inc.; Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.; Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia; New York Independent System Operator, Inc.; PJM Interconnection; Power South Energy Cooperative; Dominion Energy, South Carolina; South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper); Southern Company  Services Inc., as agent for Alabama Power Company, Georgia Power Company, Gulf Power Company, and Mississippi Power Company; Southwest Power Pool, Inc.; and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

For more information, visit eipconline.com.

SOURCE EIPC