WECC TRANSMISSION EXPANSION PLANNING EFFORTS 2004 2006

1
WECC TRANSMISSION EXPANSION PLANNING EFFORTS2004
- 2006

• Presented by
• Scott Gutting
• RPIC Chair
• 2/15/06

2
I. Background on WECC Transmission Expansion
Planning (TEP) Discussions

• July 2004 SSG-WI proposes that WECC evaluate
  housing SSG-WI functions.
• July 2004 - Board voted to eliminate Bylaw
  prohibition on transmission expansion planning
  functions.
• Board directed WECC staff to work with SSG-WI to
  evaluate integrating SSG-WI functions into WECC.

3
I. Background (Cont)

• Jan. - May 2005 - WECC members, board members,
  and staff participate in Western Assessment Group
  (WAG) efforts and May 2005 forum.
• WAG participants recommend that WECC expand role
  in transmission expansion planning (TEP).
• July 2005 - RPIC tasked with evaluating WAG
  recommendations, WECC role in TEP and making
  recommendations to Board.

4
I. Background ( cont)

• At the WECC Board meeting in July, 2005 the
  Directors took the following action
• A motion by Ms. Case to accept for strategic
  direction, the proposal from PacifiCorp with
  direction to the WECC CEO to flesh out details
  (of WECCs role in transmission expansion
  planning) and return to the Board for approval in
  October was seconded and approved unanimously by
  the Board. Details would include governance,
  timeframes, action steps, responsibilities, and
  member and stakeholder input.

5
I. Background (Cont)

• Aug. 2005 - RPIC requests WECC staff to draft a
  WECC white paper to describe possible role for
  WECC in TEP
• Sept. 2005 - First draft of white paper reviewed
  by RPIC then posted for member comments.
• Aug. Oct 2005 - RPIC meetings facilitate review
  of issues and member comments on draft white
  paper.
• Oct. 2005 - Draft of white paper presented to
  Board for comments.

6
I. Background (Cont)

• Nov. 2005 RPIC reviews comments, modifies white
  paper and posts for additional comments.
• Nov. 2005 - Requests member input on proposed
  TEPPC make up and solicits member interest.
• Dec. 2005 RPIC presentation to Board on member
  comments.
• Jan. Feb. 2006 Final round of member comments
  requested on white paper. Workshop scheduled to
  present recommendations and seek additional
  comments.

7
II. SUMMARY OF WHITE PAPER

• Role WECCs role in regional transmission
  expansion planning encompasses the following
• WECC will manage the west-wide transmission
  expansion planning database.
• WECC will facilitate a west-wide transmission
  expansion planning process.
• WECC will support west-wide transmission
  expansion planning analyses and studies.
• WECCs role will not include
• Conducting sub-regional or detailed
  project-specific studies,
• Prioritizing and advocating specific economic
  expansion projects,
• Identifying winners and losers,
• Developing or advocating cost allocations,
• Developing or advocating cost allocation criteria
• Providing mechanisms to obtain funding,
• Assigning transmission rights,
• Providing backstop permitting or approval
  authority, or
• Performing reliability analysis beyond what is
  done today.

8
III. GOVERNANCE

• The Report recommends the formation of a new
  Transmission Expansion Planning Policy
  Committee, that would report to the WECC Board.
• This Committee would be charged with organizing
  and steering WECCs regional transmission
  expansion planning activities.

9
III. GOVERNANCE (cont)

• The Transmission Expansion Planning Policy
  Committee would be comprised of individuals with
  the following skill sets
• Two WECC Board members,
• One representative from each of 5 WECC
  Sub-regional planning groups, and one from CAISO.
• One representative from a Public Utility
  Commission.
• One representative from a State/Provincial Energy
  Department/Office,
• One expert in IRP processes,
• One transmission owner,
• One load serving entity (LSE) representative,
• One end-use representative,
• One environmental representative,
• One generator owner representative,
• One wholesale market expert.
• Seventeen total members will be on the new
  committee. The RPIC will survey members
• for candidates in March and will make a
  recommendation to the Board in April.

10
IV. WHITE PAPER TIME FRAME AND ACTION STEPS

• The following actions are guiding the plan to
  move forward on WECCs transmission planning
  role
• October 2005 Obtain Board approval of the 2006
  budget, which includes funding requirement for
  WECCs transmission planning role COMPLETE.
• October 2005 December 2005 Finalize the
  transfer agreement with PacifiCorp enabling WECC
  to obtain the transmission expansion planning
  database by December 2005 COMPETE.
• November 2005 Begin seeking interested and
  qualified representatives for the Transmission
  Expansion Planning Policy Committee ONGOING.
• November 2005 Assume on an interim basis the
  role of central point of contact with DOE in
  identifying western national interest corridors -
  ONGOING.

11
IV. TIME FRAME AND ACTION STEPS

• 1st Quarter 2006 - RPIC is preparing a committee
  charter for approval by the Board in April 2006 -
  ONGOING
• 1st Quarter 2006 Hire senior personnel as
  necessary to support work load. - ONGOING.
• 1st Quarter 2006 Hold transmission expansion
  planning workshop for members Feb 15, 2006.
• April 2006 RPIC to make final recommendations
  on TEP activities for Board approval.