The Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc. estimates that benefits in the range of $3.2 billion to $3.9 billion were realized in its region last year, according to the results of its annual value proposition study released on Feb. 19. The study, which identifies several factors that drive positive value, found that footprint diversity, wind integration, and energy dispatch were the top value drivers in 2018. By comparison, the 2017 benefits, in the range of $3 billion to $3.7 billion, were lower.

• The grid operator attributed most of the 2018 benefits to footprint diversity, which facilitated savings in the range of $2.17 billion to $2.67 billion, by increasing load diversity and asset diversity, and enabled utilities to cut reserve margins to 17.7 percent from 23.7 percent.
• The region benefited from $354 million to $414 million through regional planning, which facilitates more economic placement of wind resources, lowering overall capacity to meet wind output.
• Economic energy dispatch to meet the region’s electric needs saved $282 million to $312 million.
• Over the last decade, MISO has delivered an estimated $24.3 billion in benefits to the region.