National Electric Transmission Congestion Study - W2agz.com

B. Are key transmission constraints creating
the transmission congestion Commenters
should identify the approximate locations
(geography and equipment) of current and
expected transmission constraints creating
the congestion problem. (Note: The Department
will consider requests to treat such information
as non-public and securitysensitive.)
C. What is the magnitude of the problem Why
(or why not) is the problem of such magnitude
and implications that it merits federal
attention, as distinguished from that of state
and regional entities
D. What are the relevant transmission or nontransmission
solutions Commenters are requested
to explain what the proposed solutions
are and how they were determined.
More broadly, commenters should explain
and document the range of transmission,
generation and demand-side solutions that
were considered to address the congestion
and reliability problems, and the reasons
why a proposed solution is favored. The Department
invites comments on all possible
alternatives and recommendations.
2. How and where should DOE establish the
geographic boundaries for a National Corridor
Section 216(a) of the Federal Power Act
states that a National Corridor is a “geographic
area” but otherwise does not define the term
“national interest electric transmission corridor.”
Therefore, the Department has broad discretion
in interpreting what this term means and
what geographic area should be included within
any particular National Corridor. The Department
believes, however, that a Corridor must be
a “geographic area,” and therefore does not intend,
as some parties have suggested, to entertain
suggestions that it designate “conceptual”
Corridors that do not have specific geographic
boundaries.
The Department expects that some parties supporting
designation of a particular Corridor will
have done sufficient engineering and planning
analyses to enable the parties to identify one or
more potential transmission solutions to the
underlying problem. The Department expects
that the proponent will be able, in electrical
terms, to identify a project path that would begin
at some specific substation or other facility,
pass through appropriate and specified intermediate
facilities, and terminate at another specific
location. These analyses will enable the proponent
of the Corridor to identify an approximate
centerline for the proposed Corridor, and to propose
and explain the rationale for territorial
bands of some specified width on each side of
the centerline. (In some situations it could be
appropriate to make the bands asymmetric—
i.e., wider on one side of the centerline than on
the other.) Comments of this type may be particularly
helpful to DOE in deciding whether and
where to designate a Corridor.
The Department recognizes, however, that its
role under FPA section 216 is not to site specific
transmission lines or facilities. Rather, the Department’s
role is to designate geographic area
experiencing transmission congestion or constraints
so that parties can work with appropriate
state permitting authorities and the FERC to
site, construct, and operate any needed transmission
facilities. Therefore, the Department
will consider the designation of broader geographic
areas as National Corridors that are not
focused on a single transmission line or facility.
In such cases, the Department requests comment
on how, where, and on what basis to establish
the boundaries for particular Corridors.
3. How would the costs of a proposed transmission
facility be allocated Although cost allocation
issues are not directly related to the designation
of a National Corridor, proposed
transmission facilities crossing utility, state and
regional boundaries have sometimes foundered
because the proponents were not able to devise a
cost allocation method that would satisfy critical
regulatory and policy requirements. Given
that many of the congestion problems addressed
in this study could require combined transmission
and generation solutions spanning several
states or regions, and could affect people in
some geographic areas—both positively and
negatively—more than others, DOE is interested
in cost allocation issues and how they
60 U.S. Department of Energy / National Electric Transmission Congestion Study / 2006