SPP wins praise and approval for novel plan of grid upgrades based on economic benefits

摘要

The Southwest Power Pool received federal approval Thursday for an innovative approach to transmission upgrades based on economic rather than reliability benefits. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission largely accepted the SPP plan, which will use a portfolio approach to grid projects to assure that all zones within the regional transmission organization's territory receive a net benefit from a set of projects. The costs then could be spread region-wide as a "postage stamp" rate rather than burdening one or a few zones with the full cost. "This filing addresses one of the most difficult issues we have to deal with, regional cost allocation," said FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher at the commission's monthly open meeting. The SPP approach "cuts through the Gordian knot" of objections that arise when attempts are made to spread costs more widely, he said. FERC accepted the structure of the plan and the use of the proposed system of calculating costs and benefits, despite some calls for a revision of that methodology. FERC did require that SPP include third-party impacts in its cost-benefit analyses. Stakeholders filed few requests for changes in the plan.