ISO-NE now publishing seven-day wind power forecast

Currently, about 700 megawatts (MW) of wind power generation are connected to the New England electric grid. An additional 2,800 MW of wind power are in the ISO’s generation interconnection queue, representing nearly 40% of all generation projects being proposed for development in the region. The ISO is taking steps to prepare for managing the grid with an increasing amount of this resource, which has operating characteristics different from traditional resources in that the fuel—wind—is available intermittently. One major initiative underway this year is the development of a centralized wind power forecast. In May, the ISO began publishing a seven-day wind forecast for New England. Each weekday, a CSV file is made available on the ISO website that provides an aggregate wind power projection for each hour for the next seven days. The forecast is still under development and is posted for informational purposes only; the full, final forecast should be operational before the end of 2013. The forecast is already providing useful data on the expected output of wind power resources in the region.

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SPI News: Day-Ahead Energy Market timeline changes go into effect May 23 for May 24 operating day

A major goal of the Strategic Planning Initiative, the market change is an important step for region

On April 25, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order approving acceleration of the daily schedule for bidding in and clearing New England’s Day-Ahead Energy Market. The market changes go into effect May 23 for operating day May 24, 2013.

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ISO-NE/NYISO conference spotlights grid changes underway, associated challenges, and need for collaboration among industry sectors

It was a packed house at the joint ISO New England and New York ISO Energy Conference, “Navigating Change,” held on May 9 and 10 in Boston. More than 300 people attended the event to hear from industry experts and leading policymakers about the ongoing transformation in the electricity industry, and how the industry should respond and navigate through this period of rapid change.

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ISO-NE CEO discusses natural gas reliance at US Senate forum

Gordon van Welie, ISO New England’s president and chief executive officer, participated in “Infrastructure, Transportation, Research and Innovation,” a roundtable discussion hosted on May 14, by the US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He joined other industry experts and executives to share perspectives on issues and solutions related to natural gas infrastructure and increased demand for the fuel in the US.

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Capitol Hill hosts Cybersecurity Framework Workshop; ISOs/RTOs submit comments

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) hosted a Cybersecurity Framework Workshop in Washington, DC on April 3 to discuss implementation of the Obama Administration’s executive order calling for the creation of voluntary cybersecurity standards for critical digital infrastructure.

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ISO-NE CEO discusses natural gas issues and the power grid on local public broadcasting show

On April 17, Gordon van Welie, president and chief executive officer of ISO New England, appeared on the WGBY public broadcasting program, "Connecting Point." He was interviewed about the region’s increasing dependence on natural gas for electricity production, the challenges this is causing on the power grid, and what ISO New England and stakeholders are doing to address the issues at hand.

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