Training for Regulators Amidst an Evolving Electricity System
America’s bulk power system (BPS) is a large interconnected electrical system comprised of generation and transmission facilities, operated by various control systems. As the BPS continues to evolve amidst the ongoing energy transition, NARUC has been offering virtual training sessions on relevant information aimed at electric utility regulators since 2021. These resources have been developed by NARUC, with support from the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA), and the U.S. Department of Energy. NARUC also recognizes additional current and past partners:
These BPS courses are designed to introduce non-technical attendees to key technical concepts and their practical applications amidst an evolving electric system. Subject matter experts offer insights on topics identified and prioritized by the regulatory community.
Integrated electricity planning is a holistic planning approach to develop affordable, reliable, and robust investment plans by integrating traditionally siloed processes. Integrated planning is coordinated across electric generation, transmission, distribution, customer loads, and distributed energy resources, and may also consider interactions between the electric system and other energy systems.
February 13, 2025 | 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. ET | Register Now
Integrated planning has many dimensions and implementation pathways. This session will provide an overview of what integrated planning is and why it is important and will highlight some examples to date spanning from a vertically integrated utility to a single-state and a multi-state ISO.
Overview: What is Integrated Planning
Debbie Lew, Executive Director, ESIG
Integrated Planning in a Vertically Integrated Utility: Xcel’s Grid of the Future
Brenda McDermott, Senior Director of Integrated Distribution System Planning, and Zach Pollack, Director of Grid Strategy and Emerging Technology, Xcel Energy,
Integrated Planning in a Single-State ISO: CAISO’s Transmission Plan and Current Integrated Planning
Neil Millar, Vice President, Transmission Planning and Infrastructure Development, CAISO
Integrated Planning in a Multi-State ISO: MISO’s RIIA and Current Integrated Planning
Jordan Bakke, Director, Strategic Initiatives and Assessments, MISO
February 20, 2025 | 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. ET | Register Now
Capacity expansion modeling finds the least cost generation solution. Because modern power systems are more dynamic and interactive, generation, transmission, distribution, customer loads, and DERs should be considered more holistically. This session will start with current practices and will present the benefits and challenges of incorporating transmission, distribution, DERs, and flexible loads into generation capacity expansion optimization.
March 6, 2025 | 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. ET | Register Now
Much can be done with existing tools, data, and processes (e.g. co-optimization of generation and transmission), but there is much that we can’t do today. This session will present capabilities and shortcomings of existing tools, data, and processes, and will present leading developments to move towards co-optimization of generation, transmission, and distribution, including the integration of economic and reliability tools and improved model interoperability across temporal and spatial dimensions.
Prior module presentations and recordings are accessible below:
Speakers discussed four different topics related to the fundamentals and changing dynamics of regional and interregional planning.
Overview of development landscape, drivers, cost allocation, and who’s responsible for what
Juliet Homer, PNNL
Regulatory processes: single state vs. regional transmission planning
Marcus Hawkins, OMS
Understanding transmission seams issues
Christina Simeone, NREL
New National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) Designation Process
Jesse Schneider, Grid Deployment Office, DOE
Speakers discussed four different topics related to the changing Considerations for integrated resource planning (IRPs) for systems in transition.
Overview of a standard IRP process; examining best practices through case studies
Juan Pablo Carvallo, LBNL
Advanced energy modeling considerations and the changing regulatory scope
Bruce Biewald – Synapse Energy Economics
Accounting for uncommon resources in planning models
Wesley Cole and Caitlin Murphy, NREL
Regional reliability impacts of resource additions and retirements
Ana Mileva, Blue Marble Analytics
Speakers discussed four different topics related to the fundamentals and history of capacity accreditation.
Fundamentals and history of capacity accreditation
Genna de Mijolla, EPRI
Implications of marginal vs. average effective load carrying capability (ELCC)
Kevin Carden, Astrapé Consulting
“Perfect capacity” and other design considerations for accreditation
Arne Olson, E3
A review of the latest developments in ISO/RTOs across the country
Zachary Ming, E3
Speakers discussed three different topics related to the fundamentals of generator interconnection.
Evolution of bulk power system interconnection queues: Historical trends in generator interconnection timelines and costs
Joachim Seel, LBNL
Interconnection Innovation eXchange: A Roadmap for Unlocking Queue Backlogs
Will Gorman, LBNL
Interconnection History and Context
Rob Gramlich, GridStrategies
Empirical Estimates of Transmission Value: Conditions that Lead to High Value
Julie Kemp, LBNL
Speakers discussed four different topics related to resource adequacy concepts and planning approaches.
Interregional impacts of different resources (Hydro-Wires)
Dr. Nathalie Voisin, PNNL
Regional planning consideration for grid-forming inverter models
Wei Du, PNNL
The interplay between resource adequacy and resilience
Juliet Homer, PNNL
Using energy storage as a transmission asset
Jeremy Twitchell, PNNL
Speakers discussed four different topics related to resource adequacy concepts and planning approaches.
Foundational resource adequacy concepts;considerations for variable resources, capacity expansion, balancing reserves, and adequacy
Dr. Marcelo Elizondo, PNNL
Considerations for baseload retirements
Dr. Todd Levin, Argonne National Labs
Evolving planning studies in MISO
Beibei (BeiLi), MISO
Resorce adequacy developments in the western interconnection
Nick Pappas, NP Energy
Speakers discussed five different topics related to the integration of utility scale storage.
Energy Storage: Opportunities and the Potential Role of Long-Lasting Duration Storage in the U.S. Power Grid
Paul Denholm, NREL
Thermal Energy Storage
Max Tuttman, Adhoc Group
Market Design Considerations of Utility-Scale Storage
Nikita Singhal, EPRI
Hybrid Resources
Mark Ahlstrom, ESIG
Grid Forming Battery Storage
Julia Matevosyan, ESIG
Speakers discussed four different topics related to electrification and forecasting.
Electrification Introduction
Josh Novacheck, NextEra Energy
Load Forecasting Overview: A journey from legacy best practices to modern day challenges
Andy Sukenik, Itron
Low-Emissions Pathways and Buildings
Ryan Jones, Evolved Energy Research
Industrial Flexibility and Hydrogen
Aidan Tuohy, EPRI
Speakers discussed four different topics related to energy adequacy and capacity.
Considering Energy in Adequacy Studies
Aidan Tuohy, EPRI
Resource Adequacy for Resource Planning
Elaine Hart, Moment Energy Insights
Resource Adequacy and Capacity Accreditation
Derek Stenclik, Telos
Example and Perspective from a Multi-State RTO
James Okullo, ESIG
How do DERs impact real-time operations? If my state adopts the recent IEEE 1547 interconnection standard, will that fix the negative impacts of DERs on the bulk power system? How can DERs be used to reduce the need for new capacity resources?
What is an inverter-based resource and why should I care? What are the differences between grid-forming inverters and synchronous condensers; which technologies will be important in the future? Is low-inertia the main concern; will we run into such conditions soon?
How do wind, solar, and DERs change reserve requirements? What are essential reliability services and can you get them from wind, solar, and DERs? What role will hybrids play in the future? What is the future of gas/electric coordination? What are options for system flexibility?
How should we think about resource adequacy in a future with high levels of wind and solar? Is the planning reserve margin concept still valid? How does resource adequacy relate to recent CAISO and ERCOT events? What do batteries offer in providing resource adequacy?