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Rocky Mountain Area Transmission Study Recommendations

This study recommends transmission expansion in the Rocky Mountain area to improve reliability, mitigate market power, reduce production costs, and stabilize market clearing prices, among other benefits. It outlines specific projects, institutional improvements, and critical factors for success.

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Rocky Mountain Area Transmission Study Recommendations

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  1. Rocky Mountain Area Transmission StudyRecommendations

  2. Benefits of Transmission Expansion • Improved reliability • Market power mitigation • Reduced production costs • Reduced and more stable market clearing prices • Fuel diversity benefits • Economic development benefit to states with new investment • Reduced production costs • Reduced and more stable market clearing prices Subset of benefits analyzed in RMATS Phase I

  3. Recommendations • Pursue transmission expansion in Recommendations 1 and 2 • Governors convene meetings of their PSCs and beneficiaries of each recommended expansion • Potential sponsors conduct detailed studies of priority expansions • Project sponsors work with regulators on financing and regulatory issues • As project develops, siting work would begin, including triggering of WGA Transmission Permitting Protocol • Implement institutional improvements

  4. LEGEND Add 345kV Add Series Compensation Add Phase Shifter Add Transformer Recommendation 1 Montana Upgrade Wyoming to Colorado Upgrade Bridger West Upgrade

  5. LEGEND Add 345kV Add Series Compensation Add Phase Shifter Add Transformer Recommendation 2 Montana Upgrade Wyoming to Colorado Upgrade Bridger West Upgrade

  6. LEGEND Add 345kV Add 500kV Add Series Compensation IPP DC Upgrade Add Phase Shifter Depends on 500kV option chosen Add Transformer Recommendation 2 Need two of five 500 kV export paths shown

  7. Economic Screening Analysis Recommendation 1 Recommendation 2 Capital Investment Transmission $16 million + $970 million $986 million $16 million + $970 million +3,295 million* $4,281 million Resources $6,600 million $6,600 million + $5,700 million $12,300 million Annual Net Savings(compared to reference cases) $61-$531 million $516-$986 million * Average Capital Cost of 4 Options Studied

  8. Critical Factors Examined • Future natural gas prices • Hydro conditions • Aggressive demand side management • Potential carbon emission constraints

  9. Institutional Improvements • PSCs develop multi-state transmission expansion pricing principles • Engage the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority in financing discussions • Better link load-serving entity resource plans to regional transmission plans • Integrate RMATS export recommendation with planning in other parts of the Western Interconnection • Governors and regulators consider the formulation of an RTO with features appropriate to the region • Transmission owners develop conditional firm or priority non-firm transmission products that quantify curtailment risks and allow greater use of existing wires • Maintain RMATS planning capacity

  10. Elements of Success • Success of Phase I is due to the leadership of Western Governors and the significant contributions from the participants • Phase II will depend on interested parties stepping forward with commitments to sponsor projects and forming partnerships which may include public and private entities, regulators and policy makers

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