ISO New England outlines transmission and generation needs

• 10 years ago (2013-11-16)
• David Flin

North America 1004

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ISO New England has released its 2013 Regional System Plan, a report outlining transmission upgrades and market responses to address identified power grid reliability needs.

From 2002 to June 2013, 475 transmission projects to address reliability have been put into service in all six New England states, representing a $5.5 billion investment in new infrastructure. Additional transmission upgrades to meet reliability requirements are under construction, have been approved, or are being designed. About $5.7 billion in transmission investment for reliability purposes is planned for the next five years. These include major transmission upgrade in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island; the Maine Power Reliability Programme; and transmission system upgrades in southeastern Massachusetts and the Greater Boston area.

Energy consumption, unadjusted for energy efficiency programmes, is expected to grow an average of 1.1 per cent annually to 2022, while summer peak demand is expected to grow by 1.4 per cent per year. When the energy-saving effects of energy efficiency are included, the forecast shows essentially no long-run growth in electricity use, and 0.9 per cent annual growth in annual summer peak demand.