The RPG meeting discussed updates on various transmission projects like West Texas 345kV Rebuild project, Eastside 345/138kV project, Omicron reliability project, Temple area project, Delaware basin project and Canton loop area project.
The meeting also provided an update on the 2024 RTP, highlighting the large load types and proposed generation hubs. The large load types included crypto and non-crypto data centers, industrial manufacturing, hydrogen, and ammonia. The majority of the new large loads were non-crypto loads. The proposed generation hubs were based on the largest system load pockets, available transmission capacity, and avoided non-attainment zones. The meeting clarified that the generation hubs were not recommendations for solving transmission constraints.
Other topics discussed included the breakdown of load types, the flexibility of the loads, the process for including loads in the RTP, and the potential duplication of generation projects. It was clarified that the RTP study focused on meeting projected load and that clear steps and criteria were needed for including loads in the RTP. The potential for future transmission upgrades based on load projections was also mentioned.
In addition to the RPG meeting, there was a discussion about the consideration of loads in the interconnection queue by the commission. Senate Bill 1281 and House Bill 5066 directed the commission to consider these loads, and there was a commitment to creating appropriate rules around this. The uniformity of standards applied by different Transmission Service Providers (TSPs) was also a concern, with questions about whether some TSPs had higher standards than others.
Overall, the meeting provided insights into the initial import passes, the timeline schedule, the availability of the data set, the consideration of alternative solutions, the proposed generation hubs, the consideration of loads in the interconnection queue, and the need for uniform standards among TSPs. The meeting emphasized the importance of feedback and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the best solutions for addressing the load and generation requirements in the Permian Basin and ERCOT as a whole.
