REGIONAL PLANNING

The WestConnect Regional Transmission Planning Cycle (planning cycle) is biennial. The biennial cycle commences in even numbered years, resulting in the development of a Regional Transmission Plan every other year.

During the biennial planning cycle, WestConnect will establish the region’s reliability, economic, and public policy transmission needs. WestConnect will solicit alternatives (transmission or non-transmission alternatives (NTAs)) from WestConnect members and stakeholders to meet the regional needs. WestConnect will evaluate the alternatives submitted to or developed by WestConnect to determine which alternatives meet the region’s needs more efficiently or cost effectively, and will identify those alternatives in the WestConnect Regional Transmission Plan. Those identified alternatives that were submitted for the purposes of cost allocation may go through the cost allocation process if they pass the cost/benefit thresholds established for the relevant category of project (reliability, economic, public policy) and if they are further determined to be eligible for regional cost allocation.

Additional details of the WestConnect Regional Transmission Planning Process can be reviewed in the WestConnect Regional Planning Process Business Practice Manual.

 

Process Status

• Study Plan: Complete
• Model Development: Complete
• Identify Regional Needs: Ongoing

Regional Planning Timeline

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Study Plan

• 2024-25 WestConnect Final Regional Study Plan (.pdf)
  

Model Development

• The regional planning models were approved by the PMC on October 16, 2024
• October 16 PMC meeting
  

Identify Regional Needs

• Draft regional transmission needs will be presented to stakeholders at the November 13 WestConnect Stakeholder meeting

Project / NTA Submittal Window

Evaluate and Identify Alternatives

Allocate Costs

Regional Transmission Plan