Evolving Interconnection Procedures: Coordination of Transmission and Generation Expansion

Well-functioning interconnection and grid access procedures are key to ensure that the transmission system supports competition in generation and sustainable and reliable electricity supply. The ongoing transformation of the power sector is increasing the number and variety of resources seeking gird interconnection, and changing requirements and technical contributions that need to be assessed at the interconnection stage. This is leading to an evolution of these procedures in several jurisdictions, including the recent issuing of FERC Order 2023 in the USA. This panel will convey government agencies, system operators and generation agents from the USA and Latin America, to discuss: (i) challenges and recent developments on the management interconnection queues and, more broadly, of grid access processes; and (ii) what panelists have been doing to ensure that these processes enable a coordinated expansion of transmission and generation, with actions ranging from improvement of transmission planning processes to adjustment of interconnection requirements.