Montana Intertie Agreement (MIA) and Colstrip Transmission System Agreement (CTS) Principle/Recommendation That the 5 CTS owners and BPA enter (or continue) discussions and negotiations for the earliest practicable resolution to future use of the MIA/CTS for the impending retirement of Colstrip Units 1 and 2 (not later than 2022), expiration of the MIA in 2027, and ultimate retirement of Colstrip Units 3 and 4. We further recommend that the ultimate resolution of the MIA/CTS be based upon open access principles that will allow/ensure repurposing and full and efficient access to and utilization of the Colstrip 500kv system from Colstrip to Garrison. It is essential that this regional backbone transmission system (Path 8) continue to provide reliable and cost effective access to Montana resources to the benefit of the Pacific Northwest region for which it was constructed. Long-Term Transmission Planning Studies Principle/Recommendation The magnitude of the upcoming changes to the Colstrip (and coal resource) generation demands that technical long-term planning studies be undertaken at the earliest practicable time to prudently inform future transmission and resource decisions in Montana and the Pacific Northwest. The impending retirement of Colstrip Units 1 and 2 (by no later than 2022); the expiration of the MIA in 2027 (with prior notice provisions); and the ultimate retirement of Colstrip Units 3 and 4 at a future date demand that comprehensive long-term planning studies be performed at the earliest practicable time. We recommend that such studies include robust assumptions and rigorous analyses, including a range of likely resource areas and technical interconnection characteristics to provide substantive guidance for regional stakeholders. We urge that the methodology and analysis address the full range of technical reliability issues ultimately required under scenarios that do not include Colstrip Units 1-4 (and other coal resources): RAS, inertia, frequency, voltage, VAR, stability, etc. (shorthand for rigorous studies addressing Chuck Stiger’s range of issues and others). This request recognizes that as actual projects and specific circumstances unfold, refinements will be required to satisfy path rating and other reliability requirements. NTTG, Columbia Grid, NorthWestern Energy, BPA, and Avista would likely be involved in conducting the necessary studies of the significant changes to the regional backbone transmission system and resources.
Montana Intertie Agreement (MIA) and Colstrip Transmission System Agreement (CTS) Principle/Recommendation That the 5 CTS owners and BPA enter (or continue) discussions and negotiations for the earliest practicable resolution to future use of the MIA/CTS for the impending retirement of Colstrip Units 1 and 2 (not later than 2022), expiration of the MIA in 2027, and ultimate retirement of Colstrip Units 3 and 4. We further recommend that the ultimate resolution of the MIA/CTS be based upon open access principles that will allow/ensure repurposing and full and efficient access to and utilization of the Colstrip 500kv system from Colstrip to Garrison. It is essential that this regional backbone transmission system (Path 8) continue to provide reliable and cost effective access to Montana resources to the benefit of the Pacific Northwest region for which it was constructed. Long-Term Transmission Planning Studies Principle/Recommendation The magnitude of the upcoming changes to the Colstrip (and coal resource) generation demands that technical long-term planning studies be undertaken at the earliest practicable time to prudently inform future transmission and resource decisions in Montana and the Pacific Northwest. The impending retirement of Colstrip Units 1 and 2 (by no later than 2022); the expiration of the MIA in 2027 (with prior notice provisions); and the ultimate retirement of Colstrip Units 3 and 4 at a future date demand that comprehensive long-term planning studies be performed at the earliest practicable time. We recommend that such studies include robust assumptions and rigorous analyses, including a range of likely resource areas and technical interconnection characteristics to provide substantive guidance for regional stakeholders. We urge that the methodology and analysis address the full range of technical reliability issues ultimately required under scenarios that do not include Colstrip Units 1-4 (and other coal resources): RAS, inertia, frequency, voltage, VAR, stability, etc. (shorthand for rigorous studies addressing Chuck Stiger’s range of issues and others). This request recognizes that as actual projects and specific circumstances unfold, refinements will be required to satisfy path rating and other reliability requirements. NTTG, Columbia Grid, NorthWestern Energy, BPA, and Avista would likely be involved in conducting the necessary studies of the significant changes to the regional backbone transmission system and resources.
Tom%20Schneider%20Recommendations.docx