A public technical conference on the 2006 congestion study and criteria for designating National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors was held on March 29, 2006.

Note: Not all panelists prepared presentations. Available presentations may be viewed below. Please refer to the full conference transcript for the remarks from all panelists.

Session 3: How Should Criteria Be Applied in the Identification of Constraint Areas and the Designation of National Corridors?

Overview of Comments on Criteria and Metrics: Poonum Agrawal, U.S. Department of Energy

Panelists:

  • Mary Ellen Paravalos, Director of Regulatory Policy, National Grid
  • David Till, Transmission Planning Department Manager, Tennessee Valley Authority
  • Michael Heyeck, Vice President, Transmission, American Electric Power
  • Kevin Wright, Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission
  • Ed Tatum, Assistant Vice President, Rates & Regulations, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative
  • Wayne Walker, Director of Project Development, Horizon Wind Energy
  • Wayne Snowdon, Vice Chair, Canadian Electricity Association Transmission Council; Vice President, Transmission, NB Power

Facilitated by: Jody Erikson, Keystone Center

Each panelist made a 5-minute presentation responding to one or more of the following questions:

  • How broadly (or narrowly) should constraint areas and corridors be defined?
  • Should thresholds be established in applying criteria for constraint area and National Corridor designations? If so, what should they be for the eight draft criteria proposed by DOE?
  • Should constraint area or National Corridor designations expire after some fixed period? If so, what should the period be?
  • How should the designation of constraint areas and National Corridors be coordinated with the planning and siting processes used in Canada, ERCOT, and Mexico?