Optimizing the Interconnection Process

February 28-March 1, 2023 | Online :: Central Time

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“Great overview of emerging and current technologies in the LDES space with diverse perspectives from utilities, manufacturers and other renewable/resilient energy focused organizations.” Mechanical Engineer, RMS Group

“For industry relevant topics and expert content EUCI can’t be beat!” Manager of Transmission, Savion, LLC

Efforts to replace fossil fuels with renewable resources has created a backlog of interconnection requests to the transmission and distribution grid. System operators and utilities must process requests ranging from offshore and onshore wind, utility-scale solar, community solar, rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles, data centers, and more. To process these requests in a timely and cost-effective manner queue reform and process revisions are needed.

EUCI’s annual conference, Optimizing the Interconnection Process, is where regulators, system operators, utilities and developers convene to highlight the latest programs & initiatives, provide status updates on new opportunities, and discuss emerging challenges relating to interconnection.

Register now to join this year’s participants:

FERC NERC US DOE MISO SPP ITC

TVA ConEd Borrego Solar Rev Renewables and more!

Learning Outcomes

This conference will provide attendees an opportunity to:

• Find out best practices & lessons learned for the interconnection process
• Discuss how state policies and markets have created the surge in interconnection requests
• Get a status & update on generator interconnection queues & systems studies
• Get a status & update on offshore wind developments & interconnection
• Review the latest rulemakings and reforms such as FERC Order No. 2222 and NOPR
• Review NERC key findings & analysis of the interconnection process
• Review the US DOE’s i2x program and opportunities for collaboration
• Hear from the developer’s perspective on:
  • Strategies for facilitating the solar boom and streamlining cluster studies
  • Strategies for facilitating energy storage, hybrid projects, and DERs

 

Tuesday, February 28, 2023 : Central Time

 

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. :: The Interconnection Process, Related Rulemakings, and Current Challenges

This presentation will highlight FERC standard generator interconnection agreements and procedures and current challenges in the generator interconnection process, including:

• The Commission’s NOPR (RM22-14-000) which proposes reforms to the generator interconnection procedures to address interconnection queue backlogs, improve certainty, and prevent undue discrimination for new technologies.
• Order No. 2222 which allows distributed energy resources (DERs) to participate in the wholesale energy markets

Joe Baumann, Energy Industry Analyst, Office of Energy Policy and Innovation, FERC

Rebecca Widiss, Energy Industry Analyst, Office of Energy Policy and Innovation, FERC

9:45 – 10:30 a.m. :: Realigning the Focus of the Interconnection Process to Prioritize BPS Reliability 

This presentation will cover:

• Key findings and lessons learned from NERC disturbance analysis
• Lessons learned regarding the interconnection process, interconnection studies, and plant commissioning
• Guidelines on appropriate model use when considering the intent of the study performed

Alex Shattuck, Senior Engineer, Engineering & Security Integration, NERC

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:45 – 11:45 a.m. :: How State Policy Goals and Markets Created the Surge in Interconnection Requests

With the energy transition underway we’re moving from a centralized power grid where energy is largely produced by fossil fuel generation towards a decentralized grid with renewable resources and distributed generation. The pace of this transition is driven primarily by new state policies. Hear how state goals initiated the surge in interconnection requests.

Leslie Almond, Regulatory Compliance Consultant – Transmission Policy & Contracts, Puget Sound Energy

Jeremy Ciarabellini, Regulatory Compliance Consultant – Transmission Policy & Contracts, Puget Sound Energy

11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. :: Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:30 p.m. :: Status & Update: Generator Interconnection Queue and System Studies

RTOs & ISOs have major plans to ensure that their service territories remain reliable and resilient through the energy transition. This session will provide the latest results from queue studies and a roadmap for upcoming investments for transmission expansion and enhancements.

• Reformed queue policies, procedures, deadlines, and requirements
• Making requests and applying for interconnection
• Required and optional studies and analyses
• Interconnection application process improvements for generators
• Changes to system inertia
• Variability in loads and resources
• Extreme natural events and sensitivities around future scenarios
• Updates to cost allocation

Walter Alvarado, Vice President System & Transmission Operations, ConEd

Kip Fox, President, Electric Transmission Texas

Rob Lamoureux, Advisor Resource Utilization, MISO

Zelalem Tekle, Manager, Transmission Interconnection, Rev Renewables

2:30 – 3:45 p.m. :: Best Practices & Lessons Learned: Updates to the Interconnection Process

RTOs & ISOs have been very active over the years in innovating and reforming their interconnection process to manage their queue more efficiently, be consistent with the pace of development of new transmission needed to ensure reliability, and to facilitate compliance with state goals.  This session will provide an overview of interconnection process for generators and discuss notable reforms they have undergone to better accommodate renewables, storage, and other new technologies coming onto the grid.  It will also discuss:

• Impacts of FERC rulings on interconnection process
• Readiness Criteria and upcoming enhancements to the interconnection process
• Upcoming changes to tariffs

Moderator: Karen Wayland, CEO, GridWise Alliance

Jason Adams, Senior Program Manager, Transmission Service Regulatory, Stakeholder Services & Contracts, Tennessee Valley Authority

Sandeep Arora, Senior Vice President Transmission & Markets, Rev Renewables

Nathan Benedict, Manager of Regulatory Strategy, ITC Holdings Corp

Kelsey Allen, Principal Engineer for System Planning, SPP

3:45 – 4:00 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

4:00 – 5:00 p.m. :: Status & Update: Offshore Wind Developments & Interconnection

With the East Coast leading the West, this session will provide the latest information on offshore wind developments in the MidAtlantic including plans for grid integration.

James Bennett, Senior Advisor, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Bruce Burcat, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition

5:00 p.m. :: Day 1 Adjourns

 

Wednesday, March 1, 2023 : Central Time

 

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. :: Innovation, Effective Collaboration, and Paradigm Shifts

Ammar Qusaibaty, Senior Energy Consultant, Solar Energy Technologies Office, US DOE

9:45 – 10:30 a.m. :: The Developer’s Perspective: Strategies for Facilitating the Solar Boom

This session will provide an overview of a developer’s process for interconnecting solar and potential ways to improve interconnection processes including strategies to streamline system cluster studies and long-term planning to facilitate the next solar boom.

Sumeet Mudgal, Transmission Planning Manager, Qcells

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. :: DER Project Challenges and Interconnection Lessons Learned

This presentation will summarize Net Metering and Interconnection numbers including Community Solar.  We will also go over Ameren Illinois DER Interconnection tools, policies, and procedures. We will cover interconnection enhancements that we are developing including Ameren Illinois’ recently published hosting capacity maps as well as discuss challenges around the recent increase in interconnection applications in Illinois. 

Eddie Creighton, Engineer, DER Integration & Strategy, Ameren

Brian Cuffle, Supervisor Distribution Design, Ameren

11:30 a.m. :: Day 2 Adjourns

• Jason Adams, Senior Program Manager, Transmission Service Regulatory, Stakeholder Services & Contracts, Tennessee Valley Authority

• Kelsey Allen, Principal Engineer for System Planning, SPP

• Leslie Almond, Regulatory Compliance Consultant – Transmission Policy & Contracts, Puget Sound Energy

• Walter Alvarado, Vice President System & Transmission Operations, ConEd

• Sandeep Arora, Senior Vice President Transmission & Markets, Rev Renewables

• Joe Baumann, Energy Industry Analyst, Office of Energy Policy and Innovation, FERC

• James Bennett, Senior Advisor, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

• Nathan Benedict, Manager of Regulatory Strategy, ITC Holdings Corp

• Bruce Burcat, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition

• Jeremy Ciarabellini, Regulatory Compliance Consultant – Transmission Policy & Contracts, Puget Sound Energy

• Eddie Creighton, Engineer, DER Integration & Strategy, Ameren

• Brian Cuffle, Supervisor Distribution Design, Ameren

• Kip Fox, President, Electric Transmission Texas

• Rob Lamoureux, Advisor Resource Utilization, MISO

• Sumeet Mudgal, Transmission Planning Manager, Qcells

• Ammar Qusaibaty, Senior Energy Consultant, Solar Energy Technologies Office, US DOE

• Alex Shattuck, Senior Engineer, Engineering & Security Integration, NERC

• Zelalem Tekle, Manager, Transmission Interconnection, Rev Renewables

• Karen Wayland, CEO, GridWise Alliance

• Rebecca Widiss, Energy Industry Analyst, Office of Energy Policy and Innovation, FERC

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: After November 30 you will not be able to join a Teams meeting using Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a meeting invitation will include a link to join the meeting.
• Separate meeting invitations will be sent for the morning and afternoon sessions of the course.
  • You will need to join the appropriate meeting at the appropriate time.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Please Note: This event is being conducted entirely online. All attendees will connect and attend from their computer, one connection per purchase. For details please see our FAQ

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all registrants for three business days after the event

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Optimizing the Interconnection Process

February 28-March 1, 2023 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before January 27, 2023 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 1.0 CEUs for this event

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must log in and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

Panel discussions, PowerPoint presentations, and Q&A sessions will be used in the program.

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Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Course CPE Credits: 11.0
There is no prerequisite for this Course.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preparation: None

EUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

 

Who Should Attend

• Federal and State Regulators
• System Operators (RTOs/ISOs) and Balancing Authorities
• Transmission & Distribution Utilities: IOUs, Munis & Coops
• Renewable Energy Developers of Utility-Scale and DERs