MISO IPWG July 21, 2026, meeting overview
1. MISO-SPP JOA Revisions
- Purpose: Present a revision to Section 9.4 of the MISO-SPP JOA and request stakeholder feedback.
- Adds coordination steps for the SPP Interconnection Cluster Study (ICS) process, including relative queue position, JTIQ screening, and a MISO Affected System (AFS) study timeline (21 business days before SPP ICS study end; 60 calendar days for restudies).
- General process improvements to comply with FERC Order 2023: clarifies that Network Upgrade construction schedules go in the Facilities Study report; consolidates queue-position/funding provisions from 9.4.3 into 9.4.1; updates AFS study timelines for SPP DISIS, SPP ERAS, and DPP Phase 2/3 cycles.
- New Facility Construction Agreement (FCA) compliance requirement: the direct-connect Party must ensure the interconnection customer complies with FCA timelines, with authority to terminate the interconnection agreement for non-compliance.
- Clarifies tie line upgrade cost allocation when both the host and Affected System studies find violations on the same tie line — the larger/controlling upgrade determines which Party bears cost.
- Miscellaneous terminology clean-up (“direct connect Party,” “impacted Party,” “SPP DISIS” vs. “SPP ICS”).
2. Generator Interconnection Queue Improvements
- Purpose: Standardize collection of power-flow (PSSE) modeling data in the Generator Interconnection queue process to enable automated model builds.
- Problem: Modeling data is currently scattered across the application, supplemental documents, and Shared Facilities Consent Agreements, with no standard connectivity or shared-facility format.
- Proposed rules cover Request Type, Service Type/Amount, Point of Interconnection bus numbering, and PSSE file/bus-naming conventions (including how to handle shared facilities across projects queued in different cycles).
- Benefits: faster error identification (~30 min per project), faster model builds, more reliable data for GIA negotiators, and improved public queue accuracy.
- Note: Slide 20 was corrected on 7/21/2026 regarding how the PSSE model should represent shared facilities.
3. DPP Study Schedule and FERC Status Updates
- Most active DPP cycles (2022, 2023, 2025) show a 15-calendar-day cascading delay from the prior month, largely tied to 2022 Phase 2 timing; DPP-2026 remains in its Application Window.
- Key FERC dockets tracked: Order 2023 compliance filing (ongoing, further compliance submitted 5/18/26); MISO/SPP JTIQ framework JOA (accepted, now on appeal — oral argument tentatively the week of 10/5/26); Queue Cap filing (accepted, under appeal at the Fifth Circuit); ERAS Tariff refiling (accepted, under appeal at the D.C. Circuit); Attachment X Generating Facility Replacement filing (pending, effective date requested 5/27/26).
4. Liaison Report Highlights
- ERAS (Expedited Resource Addition Study): caps of 50 LSE / 10 IPP projects have been met (31 GW, 64 projects total); MISO will study multiple ERAS cycles together when they share a common constraint and plans to seek feedback on extending the sunset date to December 2027 for Retail Choice projects.
- Removing Storage Charging Limitations in GIAs (PAC-2024-3): MISO proposes replacing the summer shoulder peak case with a light load case for the DPP charging study scenario; moving to the August 26 Planning Advisory Committee (PAC).
- Affected System Study (AFS) Tariff filing: MISO plans a late-July FERC 205 filing to align DPP-2022/2023 Affected System report requirements with Order 2023, avoiding ~30-day (DPP-2022) and ~90-day (DPP-2023) Phase 2 delays.
- SUGAR software and GIAA portal updates continue, including a July 25, 2026 portal release; GIAA Portal Experience Survey runs August 11–25.
- Reminder: all Generator Interconnection questions must now go through the MISO Help Center as a case — the GI email address is being retired.
5. MISO IPWG Announcements and Upcoming Events
- MISO Customer Experience Annual Survey: active July 7–28.
- Reliability Imperative (RI) Workshop: Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM ET (not recorded).
- Expedited Project Review Technical Study Task Force (EPR-TSTF): Tuesday, August 4, 2026, 2:00–3:00 PM ET.
- FERC Order 881 Coordination Workshop (closed session): Friday, August 21, 2026, 10:00–11:30 AM ET.
- Large Load Working Group (LLWG): Thursday, August 27, 2026, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM ET.
- Market Reports Retirement: effective September 30, 2026, website-based Pricing and Load/Generation/Interchange reports are being replaced by the MISO Data Exchange API.
As MISO continues refining its generator interconnection process, interregional coordination with SPP, and compliance with FERC Order 2023, staying informed is essential for developers, utilities, transmission owners, and other grid stakeholders. Zero-Emission Grid (ZEG) provides timely analysis and concise summaries of ISO, RTO, utility, and regulatory meetings across North America. Contact our team to learn more about our tools and services, or subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest interconnection, transmission planning, and power market insights delivered directly to your inbox.
