Open ISO-NE board meeting considers strategic plan, large loads, winter preparedness

Members of the ISO New England Board of Directors and the public this week got previews of how the ISO plans to address “large loads” like data centers, operate the grid reliably this winter, and set priorities for the next five years.

The board conducts an open meeting each year to give the public an opportunity to observe its discussions firsthand. Its open meeting Nov. 10 in Boston included a listening session where members of the public, including ratepayers and state consumer advocates, attending both in person and online, asked questions about data center impacts on consumers, ISO-NE governance, energy affordability, and other topics.

Presentation slides from the meeting are available online, and a video recording will be posted in the coming days. Written comments may be sent to BoardofDirectors@iso-ne.com throughout the year. Comments submitted by Nov. 30 will be compiled and posted to the ISO’s website.

During the meeting, President and CEO Vamsi Chadalavada previewed the ISO’s new strategic plan, which is designed to guide the organization through 2032. Reaffirming the ISO’s core mission of operating the grid, administering the wholesale markets, and planning the power system, Chadalavada advanced a new vision of the ISO becoming an indispensable partner in the region’s energy transition.

He highlighted several strategic beliefs, including the central role of competitive wholesale markets, the continued importance of existing generation resources, and the need to keep affordability at the forefront of decisions. Key initiatives include projects already underway, such as Capacity Auction Reforms and establishing an Asset Condition Reviewer department within the ISO. Additional priorities include enhanced real-time pricing and dispatch, resource adequacy modeling, demand flexibility programs, a universal data platform, market platform modernization, and broader use of artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency and decision-making.

Further details of the strategic plan will be shared with the public in the first quarter of 2027.

Al McBride, vice president, System Planning, addressed the integration of large loads. Proposed new transmission service options, study processes, and reliability requirements are intended to ensure that demand from potential future data centers and other major electricity users does not compromise resource adequacy, McBride said. The proposal includes a “bring your own new capacity” requirement for firm service. The ISO filed its proposal with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) later in the week.

Stephen George, vice president, System & Market Operations and Capital Projects, briefed the board on winter preparedness. He said the region is projected to have sufficient energy and capacity for the 2026/2027 season. George cited lessons learned from last winter, which brought the coldest temperatures in two decades and the highest demand levels since 2014. He noted that the region has gained offshore wind resources since last winter, and that this will be the first full winter during which the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line between Quebec and New England is operational. The ISO will continue coordinating with generators, utilities, fuel suppliers, and government agencies to monitor risks and respond to severe weather or fuel supply disruptions, he said.