NYISO Issues 2016 Reliability Needs Assessment

RENSSELAER, NY (10/18/2016)(readMedia)-- New York state's bulk power system has adequate power generation resources to meet reliability needs for the next decade according to the New York Independent System Operator's 2016 Reliability Needs Assessment (RNA). However, two localized transmission security needs will require remedial action in the near term.

"We understand that energy industry professionals, government officials and the investment community alike rely on the NYISO's authoritative information and expertise," said NYISO President and CEO Brad Jones. "This report provides an objective and thorough assessment of the reliability needs of the state's electric grid over the next 10 years so that the market can respond with potential solutions."

While no resource adequacy needs were identified on the bulk power system, the RNA identified two localized transmission security reliability needs that would begin in 2017 absent remedial action by transmission owners:

• the New York State Electric & Gas Corp. (NYSEG) Oakdale 345/115-kilovolt transformer, and
• the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) East Garden City to Valley Stream 138-kilovolt line.

Transmission security is the ability of the power system to withstand disturbances such as electric short circuits or the unanticipated loss of power system components without interruption of power delivery to the utility service areas.

The RNA also considers resource adequacy, which measures the ability of the electric system to reliably meet electrical demand based on the expected availability of sufficient resources during periods of peak power use. The 2016 RNA finds that resource adequacy criteria are met throughout the 10-year study period.

The 2016 RNA was developed through the NYISO's stakeholder process, which provides input from regulators and market participants who supply, use, transmit and trade energy in New York's competitive wholesale electricity markets. By identifying future reliability needs every two years through its planning process, the NYISO's RNA process provides vital information to enable market forces to respond to system reliability needs.

The NYISO will next consider transmission plan updates from transmission owners and then, if necessary, issue a solicitation for market-based and regulated solutions for the two identified reliability needs. The NYISO will issue a Comprehensive Reliability Plan that will describe the actions to be taken to maintain reliability for the ten-year planning horizon.

A copy of the 2016 RNA is available on the NYISO website-www.nyiso.com.

Public Forum

On November 1, 2016, the NYISO will host a forum to present the results of the 2016 Reliability Needs Assessment (RNA). The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the Peter A.A. Berle Conference Center at the NYISO's Krey Corporate Center in Rensselaer.

The public forum is free of charge, but registration must be received by noon on Friday, October 28 to participate in person. The proceedings also will be available via the Web. Interested attendees can register online by clicking the "RSVP here" link on the NYISO Committee Calendar of the NYISO website.

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