Midwest Grid Operator Prepared to Meet Summer Electricity Needs

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc. anticipates summer power demand to peak at 125 gigawatts, with 152 gigawatts of available capacity to meet the need, according to an April 29 news release. The grid operator said that impacts to the outage schedule from COVID-19 have been minor and no reliability impacts are foreseen due to the changing schedules.

MISO is working with transmission and generation owners to reschedule outages taking into account the summer peak. COVID-19 related measures have changed the grid operator’s load shape curve, with lower-than-normal morning and evening load levels. The grid operator noted that it has taken steps to reduce load forecast errors that have increased recently, although they are not impacting reliable operations.

The grid operator expects challenges from high load outages although transmission limitations remain within the expected norms. Much of the region is expected to experience a warmer-than-normal summer, and sustained high temperature could have an impact on day-to-day operations, according to the system operator. Further, early-season forecasts indicate an above-normal 2020 hurricane season.

MISO is closely monitoring summer-related issues that could pose challenges, including abnormal weather and severe weather patterns, limited transfer capability, forced outage, seasonal maintenance, transmission congestion, and higher than average load.