MISO-PJM IPSAC Meeting–March 13, 2026
Author: Faizan Hassan Hajam
The MISO-PJM IPSAC meeting was convened on March 13, 2026. The session centered around the Annual Issues Review (AIR), a critical milestone for the development of the Coordinated System Plan (CSP), and a comprehensive Interregional Transmission Planning Status Update.
Annual Issues Review (AIR)
The AIR is conducted in the first quarter of each year to determine the necessity of a Coordinated System Plan Study, based on information exchanged between MISO and PJM and direct stakeholder feedback. Key Topics:
- Joint Review (January 2026): MISO and PJM evaluated regional issues and newly approved projects located near the seam. In addition, historical Market-to-Market (M2M) congestion data and coordinated interconnection requests were reviewed.
- Third Party Input: Feedback was received from an entity named Clean Energy Organizations before February 11, 2026. The inputs mainly focused on
- Regulatory Alignment: Strong support for adopting the seven FERC Order 1920 benefit metrics to evaluate the multi-value business case for interregional transmission.
- Infrastructure & Capacity: Emphasis on the Interregional Transfer Capability Study (ITCS) to identify upgrades that lower ratepayer costs and bolster reliability during extreme weather.
- Market Efficiency: Improvement to Coordinated Transaction Scheduling (CTS) and intertie optimization to reduce uneconomic flows, citing that intertie optimization can yield a potential $63 million annual value for consumers.
- Policy Reform: Requests for tariff revisions to create a new “interregional project type” and reforms to PJM’s capacity market to facilitate easier external resource imports.
- Study Status: Both RTOs confirmed that a Targeted Market Efficiency Project (TMEP) was not conducted in 2025, prioritizing an interregional transfer capability study.
- Decision Timeline: The Joint Regional Planning Committee (JRPC) will determine the need for a formal Coordinated System Plan (CSP) study by April 27, 2026. Stakeholders will be notified of the decision within five business days.
MISO-PJM Interregional Transmission Planning Status Updates
The 2026 IPSAC priorities reflect a strong focus on proactive planning, driven by FERC Order 1920 compliance and improved regional coordination.
- FERC Order 1920 Compliance: MISO and PJM plan to develop processes to support long-term planning horizons (~20 years), coordinating on the assumptions, scenarios, and planning horizons required for long-term needs analysis. In addition, the RTOs plan to align the interregional planning approaches with evolving Order 1920 implementation timelines.
- Enhanced Coordination of Regional Plans: A primary goal is to improve the coordination of regional planning cycles. By aligning milestones, the RTOs aim to evaluate interregional alternatives before regional projects are finalized. This includes increasing visibility into regional project development to identify and address potential seam impacts earlier in the process.
- Benefit Framework & Cost Allocation: The RTOs plan to actively engage states to discuss priorities and explore cost-allocation mechanisms that align with regional Order 1920 benefits.
- In addition, both MISO and PJM provided updates about their respective regional issues and planned solutions near the MISO-PJM seam.
Key Milestones and Next Steps
The next critical milestone is the April 27, 2026, JRPC determination, a decision that will dictate whether a formal Coordinated System Plan study is launched for the coming cycle. Zero-Emission Grid team will be closely monitoring these developments as they unfold.
