Grid operators push for faster, automated interconnection studies and FERC support
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Summary
Multiple regional operators described efforts to speed interconnection and clear queues: CAISO pointed to FERC‑approved reforms that cut clogging; MISO is testing automation to replicate multi‑year studies in days; SPP and PJM emphasized transformative technology and AI to accelerate processing.
Grid operators told the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee that reforms to interconnection procedures and the adoption of automation and standardized studies could dramatically shorten lead times for new resources to connect to the transmission system.
MISO showcased a pilot in which an automated process nearly replicated the results of an interconnection study that took nearly two years in just 10 days, suggesting substantial potential to cut engineering cycle time and reduce queue clogging. “By automating some of that work with a codified rule set, we have been able to speed up… the progress of the Q study,” Jennifer Curran, MISO vice president for operations and planning, said.
CAISO reported that FERC‑approved interconnection reforms, implemented after a stakeholder process, have produced measurable reductions in projects clogging its queue. Elliot Mainzer, CAISO president and CEO, said its reforms and coordination with state agencies helped reduce queue friction and that CAISO’s latest transmission plan supports tens of gigawatts of new resources.
SPP and PJM representatives said they are sharing best practices and testing “transformative technology” including artificial intelligence to improve study accuracy and speed. Commissioners’ letters and FERC staff encouragement were identified as enablers; witnesses asked FERC to signal support and to continue to encourage pilot programs and information sharing across RTOs.
Why it matters: Interconnection delays were repeatedly cited as a primary impediment to bringing new capacity online. Faster, more predictable studies could shorten the time from project approval to construction, easing near‑term capacity pressures.
Next steps: RTOs and vendors are piloting automation at increasing scales; operators urged FERC to encourage pilots and provide clear rule guidance. MISO said it is applying automation to larger samples for evaluation; SPP described planned reliance on AI and data analytics to improve throughput.
