Overview
The Western States Transmission Initiative (WSTI) is a collaboration of Western regulators and policy leaders working to improve approaches to transmission planning and cost allocation in the Western interconnection.
The West’s current bottoms-up approach to transmission planning and development does not effectively evaluate the merits of interregional and intraregional transmission opportunities, nor their relative merits compared with intrastate alternatives; this approach has never resulted in an interregionally planned transmission solution that efficiently and cost-effectively connects energy resources to energy loads.
As a result, Western states have an urgent need for power and the transmission to bring that power to load.
WSTI aims to address this challenge by building understanding of transmission issues among Western regulators and state energy policy leaders on the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation (CREPC) and identifying actionable steps for CREPC to address:
- opportunities for transmission development across a regional footprint, and
- supporting regulatory and policy underpinnings.
WSTI is facilitated and led by Gridworks and former FERC Chair Richard Glick for the benefit of CREPC members.
Learn more about our goals and how we will achieve them below:
WSTI’s goal is to build understanding of transmission issues among Western regulators and state energy policy leaders on the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation (CREPC) and identify actionable steps for CREPC to address:
- opportunities for transmission development across a regional footprint and appropriate time-horizon
- supporting regulatory and policy underpinnings, including cost allocation practices.
The initiative will result in an informed discussion of recommendations CREPC may pursue to improve interconnection-wide transmission planning, expanding on efforts discussed in recent charter updates.
Through a series of one-on-one meetings and small group discussions with stakeholders— including state commissioners, state energy offices, utilities, regional entities, and other advocates—Gridworks will develop a list of recommendations to move transmission planning discussions forward at CREPC.
Gridworks will present these recommendations to a Recommendation Development Working Group to review and discuss, with the goal of presenting proposals to the full CREPC committee for action at the Fall meeting.
These interviews will take place May through August 2023. If you would like to participate in the outreach process, please contact Gridworks Director Kate Griffith.
Through the development of an informational policy primer and a series of webinars, Gridworks and Rich Glick will support commissioners and energy officials who are newer to transmission issues develop a solid understanding of the challenges and barriers to transmission development in the West, including the potential opportunities for greater regional coordination.
Topics will include regional transmission needs, barriers to development, planning frameworks, and cost allocation.
This series of webinars will be open to all CREPC members interested in participating. The webinars will enable policy-makers, including commissioners and state energy officials, to better engage in the Fall CREPC meeting discussions of Recommendation Development Working Group recommendations for continued West-wide coordination on transmission planning and build-out.
Meeting materials and links can be found in the working materials section below.
Through a series of three facilitated meetings, Gridworks will support a regionally diverse working group of selected state leaders to develop a set of recommendations CREPC could pursue to advance its charter goals related to transmission, including approaches to regional coordination.
The working group will be composed of approximately 10 commissioners and state energy office representatives who have the time and expertise to review, synthesize, and further develop recommendations for how CREPC can move forward on regional transmission coordination efforts. This small group will meet approximately 3 times for 3-4 hours of facilitated sessions on targeted topics to develop a next-step proposal on regional transmission coordination for the full CREPC body to consider at its October 2023 meeting.
Working Materials
Barriers to Backbone Transmission Development in the West – A Conversation with Rich Glick and Rebecca Wagner
February 8, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific
Hear Rich Glick and Rebecca Wagner discuss backbone transmission, FERC Order 1000, and the barriers to transmission development in the West.
Presentation Slides | Webinar Recording | Read the Primer
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Informational Webinar Materials:
These webinars, hosted by Gridworks and former FERC Chairman Richard Glick for the benefit of CREPC members, are designed to support CREPC members’ understanding of transmission development throughout the Western interconnection. If you have any questions about these webinars or the initiative in general, please contact Gridworks Director Kate Griffith at kgriffith@gridworks.org.
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WSTI Webinar 1: Transmission Planning
July 20 | 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific
This webinar will provide an overview of current transmission ownership, topology, and planning processes.
Agenda | Presentation Slides | Webinar Recording
WSTI Webinar 2: Is more transmission necessary in the West?
July 27 | 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Pacific
This webinar will provide an overview of the West’s transmission needs as well as barriers to transmission development. A full agenda will be posted to this page in advance of this webinar.
Agenda | Presentation Slides | Webinar Recording
WSTI Webinar 3: Transmission Cost Allocation
August 16 | 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Pacific
This webinar will provide an overview of how benefits and costs of transmission are allocated. A full agenda will be posted to this page in advance of this webinar.
Agenda | Presentation Slides | Webinar Recording
