MISO Furthers Wind Integration Into Market

CARMEL, Ind., June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — MISO took a major step forward today
in addressing the operational challenges associated with the variable nature of
renewable energy resources such as wind power. Beginning today, these renewable
energy resources can participate fully in MISO’s economic dispatch under a new
resource designation: Dispatchable Intermittent Resources (DIR).

“This is great news for renewable energy resources,” said Richard Doying, Vice
President of Operations at MISO. “For years the industry has grappled with how
to fully reflect the value of renewable energy in the market and to enable
renewable resources to realize the financial benefits of operating flexibly and
responding to market dispatch instructions. This will ensure the resources are
utilized most efficiently, producing energy where and when needed. All market
participants, including those serving load, will benefit from the optimization
of wind output as part of MISO’s real-time 5-minute market dispatch,” he said.

MISO’s FERC-approved DIR initiative allows renewable generation to be treated
like any other generation resource in the market and, for the first time,
participate in the region’s real-time energy market. Now wind can automatically
be dispatched up to a forecasted limit based on an offer price and system
conditions. This enables wind to submit offers and receive dispatch instructions
rather than be manually curtailed when transmission constraints limit renewable
energy generation to reach the broader market region.

“We have more than 1,000 MW of wind capacity registered as Dispatchable
Intermittent Resources,” said MISO’s Joe Gardner, Executive Director of
Real-Time Operations. “Allowing MISO’s real-time optimization software to
determine an economic dispatch for these resources maximizes their utilization
given the price and system conditions while minimizing the need for manual
curtailments in real-time. This enhances system wide operational and market
efficiency.”

About MISO

MISO ensures reliable operation of, and equal access to high-voltage power lines
in 12 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba. MISO manages one of the
world’s largest energy markets, clearing nearly $25.7 billion in energy
transactions annually. MISO was approved as the nation’s first regional
transmission organization in 2001. The non-profit 501(C)(4) organization is
governed by an independent Board of Directors and is headquartered in Carmel,
Ind., with operations centers in Carmel and St. Paul, Minn. Membership in the
organization is voluntary.

SOURCE MISO