Clean Energy Groups Applaud MISO/SPP Moving Forward on Needed Transmission Development

 Washington D.C.  (September 14, 2020) – The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), along with regional partners Clean Grid Alliance (CGA) and Advanced Power Alliance (APA), applaud the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) for agreeing to move forward on a significant joint transmission planning effort on the seam between their two footprints. The two Regional Transmission Organizations today announced a joint transmission planning initiative to identify transmission projects that provide value to customers located in areas near their seam. This initiative will lead to consumer savings, greater reliability, and increased access to existing low-cost, clean, renewable resources, as well as resources in the interconnection queues of both regions. 

AWEA Central Region Electricity and Transmission Director Daniel Hall, CGA Executive Director Beth Soholt, and APA Senior Vice President for Infrastructure and Markets Steve Gaw today issued the following joint statement on the MISO/SPP announcement: 

“This joint effort by MISO and SPP could be a gamechanger and is a new milestone in coordination between them, their Boards and executive leadership, and state regulators and other stakeholders. Working together, the two Regional Transmission Organizations can enable and expedite needed transmission development on their seam and address related generation interconnection challenges. Transmission is a critical component of developing wind and other renewable energy resources and delivering clean, affordable power where and when it is needed most. Coordinated transmission planning will allow consumers across the country to harness the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy. This forward-thinking partnership includes an aggressive, but achievable timeline and we pledge to provide any assistance necessary to support this effort. Our organizations have been advocating on these issues for some time through the stakeholder process and we are hopeful today’s action will be part of a broader concerted effort to modernize and strengthen the national grid for the benefit of consumers.”

MEDIA INTERVIEWS: 

To set up interviews on this issue contact:

o   For Daniel Hall, please contact Sam Brock (sbrock@awea.org).  

o   For Beth Soholt, please contact Kelley Welf (kwelf@cleangridalliance.org).

o   For Steve Gaw, please contact Sarah Pettus (sarah@poweralliance.org).

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AWEA is the national trade association for the U.S. wind industry, the largest source of renewable energy in the country. We represent 1,000 member companies, 120,000 jobs in the U.S. economy, and a nationwide workforce located across all 50 states. AWEA serves as a powerful voice for how wind works for America. Members include global leaders in wind power and energy development, turbine manufacturing, and component and service suppliers. They gather each year at the Western Hemisphere’s most efficient and targeted event for utility-scale renewable companies, the AWEA CLEANPOWER Conference & Exhibition, next in Indianapolis, June 7-10, 2021. An outgrowth of the AWEA WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, CLEANPOWER is the first trade show focused exclusively on the utility-scale renewable power sector, bringing together all the major developers, utilities, OEMs, suppliers, and buyers under one roof. Visit ¯AWEA’s website ¯to learn more about the enormous economic benefits wind power brings to America and be sure to follow us on ¯Facebook, ¯Twitter, and ¯LinkedIn.

Clean Grid Alliance (CGA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minn., whose mission is to advance renewable energy in the Midwest. Launched in 2001 as Wind on the Wires, Clean Grid Alliance was rebranded in 2018 to better reflect the growth of the renewable energy industry and its members who are working in wind, solar and storage. CGA has been an active stakeholder in the MISO process for the past 19 years, working at both the state and regional levels. CGA is unique in its membership which includes industry representatives as well as environmental nonprofit organizations, public interest groups, clean energy advocates, farm groups, and businesses providing goods and services to the wind, solar and storage industries who all come together to reduce carbon and deliver a renewable energy future. Learn more at cleangridalliance.org.

The Advanced Power Alliance is the industry trade association created to promote the development of wind, solar and energy storage as resources that can deliver clean, reliable, affordable power for American consumers. Through its advocacy programs, APA works to expand transmission capacity, to increase the use of renewable generation and energy storage within the region, and to facilitate export of this abundant power to customers around the United States. APA is leading efforts to defend regulatory, tax, and siting policies that are “technology neutral” and treat renewable energy developments equitably. APA is a business alliance of advanced energy companies and is focused on issues that affect its members’ bottom lines. APA delivers its members timely and actionable information from state legislatures and regulatory agencies while aggressively lobbying the key issues affecting the future of clean power development in our region. Learn more about us at PowerAlliance.org.