Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator

The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (MISO) is an Independent System Operator (ISO) and the Regional Transmission Organization

Regional Transmission Organization

A regional transmission organization in the United States is an organization that is responsible for moving electricity over large interstate areas. Like a transmission system operator , an RTO coordinates, controls and monitors an electricity transmission grid that is larger with much higher...

(RTO) that provides open-access transmission service and monitors the high voltage transmission system

Transmission system

In telecommunications a transmission system is a system that transmits a signal from one place to another. The signal can be an electrical, optical or radio signal....

throughout the Midwest United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

and Manitoba, Canada. MISO operates one of the world’s largest real-time energy markets and has 93,600 miles of transmission lines under its direction.

Definition of ISOs and RTOs

Both ISOs and RTOs are organizations formed with the approval of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is the United States federal agency with jurisdiction over interstate electricity sales, wholesale electric rates, hydroelectric licensing, natural gas pricing, and oil pipeline rates...

(FERC) to coordinate, control and monitor the use of the electric transmission system by utilities, generators and marketers. An ISO is a non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

that combines the transmission facilities of several transmission owners into a single transmission system to move energy over long distances at a single lower price than the combined charges of each utility that may be located between the buyer and seller. The ISO provides non-discriminatory service, and must be independent of the transmission owners and the customers who use its system.

RTOs also provide non-discriminatory access to the transmission network; however, they are required to meet specific FERC regulations that deal with transmission planning and expansion for an entire region, the use of energy markets to deal with system congestion, of power users and owners. RTOs offer regional wholesale electric transmission services under one tariff.

FERC first required transmission owners to provide non-discriminatory access to their lines in Order Nos. 888 and 889, building on the model it had used to require interstate natural gas

Natural gas

Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...

pipelines to provide access to pipeline capacity. In those orders, FERC noted that ISOs could provide the additional assurance of independence from the owners, and the elimination of multiple (“pancaked”) rates to transmit electricity over long distances. Shortly thereafter, FERC Order No. 2000 encouraged the formation of RTO’s to regionally manage portions of North America’s electricity grid.

There are nine ISOs, five of which are RTOs, operating in North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

. They manage the systems that serve two thirds of the customers in the U.S., and over half the population of Canada. Over time, the distinction between ISOs and RTOs in the United States has become insignificant. Both organizations provide similar transmission services under a single tariff at a single rate, and they operate energy markets within their footprints.

Incorporation under FERC

MISO was established in 1998 as an ISO and was approved as the nation's first RTO by FERC in 2001. The organization is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana

Carmel, Indiana

Carmel is a city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States located immediately north of Indianapolis, Indiana. The population was 79,191 at the 2010 census, and is one of the most affluent communities in the Midwest....

with operation control centers in Carmel and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Footprint/membership

MISO is an independent and member-based non-profit organization. Its members include 35 transmission owners with more than $17 billion in transmission assets. Members include investor-owned utilities, public power utilities, and cooperatives, such as: Duke Energy

Duke Energy

Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...

, Indianapolis Power & Light

Indianapolis Power & Light

Indianapolis Power & Light Company, also known as IPL or IPALCO, is a utility company providing electric service to the city of Indianapolis. It is a subsidiary and largest utility of AES Corporation, which acquired it in 2000....

, International Transmission Company, Great River Energy

Great River Energy

Great River Energy is an electric transmission and generation cooperative in the U.S. state of Minnesota; it is the state's second largest electric utility, based on generating capacity, and the fifth largest generation and transmission cooperative in the U.S. in terms of assets...

, Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy, Inc. is a public utility company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving customers in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. Primary services are electricity and natural gas...

and Wabash Valley Power Association

Wabash Valley Power Association

Wabash Valley Power Association is an electric generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Wabash Valley provides wholesale power to 28 distribution cooperatives in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Missouri that reach over 350,000 businesses and residences...

History

MISO began its operation on “Day 1,” a development phase between 1998 and 2005. Throughout this period the company initiated and built up transmission services to increase grid reliability. MISO was established as an ISO in 1998 after voluntary discussions led to its formation. One year later, the first board of directors was elected and by the end of 2000 the organization had more than 70 employees. In 2001, FERC approved MISO as the nation's first RTO.

In 2005 MISO announced the opening of the MISO Energy Markets. The new services ushered in MISO's “Day 2” development phase, providing a wholesale electricity market that settles $2 billion in transactions each month. During this period, MISO grew its employee base to more than 600 staff, and moved the corporate headquarters and operations center under one roof in Carmel, Indiana.

Now MISO operates in its “Day 3” period, which began on January 6, 2009, with the launch of the Ancillary Services Market (ASM). This market provides both energy and operating reserves as well as regulation and response services that support reliable transmission service.

Value Proposition

The Value Proposition is a study demonstrating MISO’s major benefits as an RTO provider for the heartland region. MISO participants see $700 million to $900 million in annual benefits due to improvements in reliability, efficiency and development:

Reliability - MISO monitors the state of the grid every 30 seconds. This allows the organization to detect potential issues and identify effective responses within minutes. Its reliability function also maintains seamless management between neighboring ISO and RTO providers and ensures that all government regulations are met.
Efficiency – MISO maximizes the efficient use of the transmission system and energy under fluctuating power demands. The Security Constrained Economic Dispatch software matches energy needs with resources in terms of capability and price.
Development - Regional planning efforts have resulted in almost $ 2.2 billion in new infrastructure and improvements to the transmission system, with another $ 6.9 billion recommended for construction, within MISO’s footprint. The development of the transmission system supports the reliable operation of the interconnected grid and maintains a competitive energy market.

Workforce

MISO is governed by an independent eight-member Board of Directors, with seven independent directors elected by the membership, plus the president of MISO. No board member may have been a director, officer or employee of a member, user, or affiliate of a member or user for two years before or after election to the Board. Under MISO’s Standards of Conduct, all MISO board members, employees and their immediate family members are required to divest themselves of any financial holdings in member or user companies.

MISO employs a staff of approximately 700 full-time employees at its two operation control centers. Mike Begley, former manager of staffing and workforce planning at MISO, wrote an August 2008 column in The New York Times, explaining the issue of maintaining a skilled workforce.

Internship program

MISO offers a summer intern program for undergraduate and graduate students. In 2009, MISO received more than 2,000 applicants for 41 intern positions. An Indianapolis Star article written in June 2008 highlighted some of the program's benefits.

NeXt Step Program

A two-year recruiting and training program that targets employees for technical and advance control room positions. The NeXt Step Program was put in place to prepare the next generation of system operators in light of the fact that almost half of MISO’s employees are approaching retirement.

Technology

MISO uses a computer model called a State Estimator that analyzes real-time conditions of the Midwest’s power grid. The system has been in operation since December 31, 2003, and serves as the primary management tool for the reliability of transmission facilities throughout the organization’s footprint. The State Estimator is one of the world’s largest computer systems and provides 303,800 data points that are updated every 30 seconds.

Operations

As the primary RTO for North America’s heartland, MISO carries out operational responsibilities to maintain the flow of energy.

Grid management and reliability

Data is evaluated by Reliability Coordinators and Reliability Analysts, monitoring the grid 24/7. Projecting the movement of power in real-time, Midwest ISO’s control room staff monitors and manages activity on the electric transmission system.

Infrastructure planning and energy alternatives

MISO performs regional planning in accordance with FERC principles. MISO infrastructure planning has four primary objectives:

provide an efficient and reliable transmission system
access a diverse number of energy resources, including renewable energies
expand energy trading opportunities
meet state and federal energy policy objectives

MISO Markets

This open market began on April 1, 2005, and provides financial and real-time pricing of energy. MISO Markets include a a Financial Transmission Rights Market, a Day-Ahead Market, a Real-Time Market, and a market for operating reserves and regulation. They are operated and settled separately, providing a clear look at day-to-day price changes.

MISO Transmission Expansion Plan (MTEP)

MTEP is a long-term annual planning agreement approved by MISO. MTEP includes recommendations for transmission infrastructure additions and electric grid improvements throughout the Midwest. Since its inception in 2003, MTEP plans have recommended almost $6.9 billion in transmission projects, totaling $2.2 billion already in operation. MTEP11 is the eighth transmission expansion plan produced by MISO.

The Regional Generation Outlet Study (RGOS)

RGOS is a 5 to 15 year plan that coordinates regional transmission projects in order to meet individual state standards for renewable energy mandates. The study will examine the reliability impacts of large-scale wind integration and other sources of clean energy on the MISO footprint. RGOS will be completed in 2009 and will be included within the MTEP 09 Plan.

MISO – PJM Interconnection Joint and Common Market (JCM)

In cooperation with PJM Interconnection

PJM Interconnection

PJM Interconnection LLC is a Regional Transmission Organization which is part of the Eastern Interconnection grid operating an electric transmission system serving all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,...

(PJM), MISO has developed a Joint and Common Market (JCM) that aligns market rules between them, and reduces the operating impact of the many transmission interconnections between the two RTOs in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. In December 2003, the two RTOs filed a Joint Operating Agreement with FERC, detailing how the organizations will share information and phase in their respective operations.

Awards and honors

2011 Franz Edelman Winner - In April 2011, MISO was named winner of the 2011 Franz Edelman Award, an international accolade for achieving excellence in operations research that benefits society. The award recognizes MISO's outstanding achievement in Operations Research and the Management Sciences for implementing wholesale energy and ancillary services markets. The award from INFORMS, an internationally acclaimed scientific and academic society, recognizes extraordinary innovation in applying operations research to make a major impact on an organization and society.
NERC Examples of Excellence – In May 2007, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) awarded MISO six “Examples of Excellence” for its real-time operations and practices that maintain the reliability of the interconnected bulk electric system. NERC also gave MISO 13 positive observations for its commitment to employee growth and professional development.

Computerworld Honors – MISO received two awards for IT innovation from Computerworld Magazine
Computerworld
Computerworld is an IT magazine that provides information for senior IT leaders. It is published in many countries around the world under the same or similar names. Its publisher is International Data Group. Computerworld serves the needs of IT management via print and online...

. In June 2007, the organization received a Computerworld honor for its implementation of an advance data storage system at its headquarters in Carmel, IN. The magazine also named Jim Schinski, former Vice President and Chief Information Officer for MISO, as one of the Premier 100 IT leaders in 2008.

Wind Integration Honors – The Utility Wind Integration Group(UWIG) honored MISO in March 2008 for its use of wind energy resources. MISO was recognized for incorporating economic-based planning for energy resources, as opposed to more traditional reliability-based capacity planning. It was also recognized for implementing wind energy resources into its MTEP plan.

2011 Compliance Award - https://www.misoenergy.org/AboutUs/MediaCenter/PressReleases/Pages/MISOWinsNationalComplianceAward.aspxThe Open Compliance and Ethics Group (OCEG) named MISO a recipient of the 2011 Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC) Achievement Award for MISO’s comprehensive compliance framework and technology solution, each known as the Compliance Model and Compliance Platform.

The 2011 GRC Achievement Awards were presented May 24, 2011, at Compliance Week’s 5th Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. MISO was one of five winners including Adecco, Constellation Energy, Humana, and Visa. A committee of OCEG's Fellows reviewed and selected winners for the GRC Achievement Award.
For more information, see MISO's winning presentation.

External links

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