About the Planning Process

In New England the Independent System Operator (ISO-NE) directs all planning and major improvements to the region's bulk power transmission system.

ISO-NE sets requirements for participants, including Central Maine Power (CMP), regarding reliability standards, pooled transmission facility cost review and notice of intent to change facilities. Also, ISO-NE handles requests to change interconnection and transmission service. They ensure that transmission owners comply with numerous reliability and technical requirements regarding changes to capacity or facilities.

ISO-NE produces an annual Regional System Plan (RSP) in consultation with a broad range of the region's stakeholders. The Plan includes an assessment of the capacity and reliability of New England's bulk power system and a ten-year plan of recommended improvements. The 2006 RSP identified several concerns in CMP's bulk power system for further study.

In response, Central Maine Power initiated the Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP) in early 2007. Working under the direction of ISO-NE, MPRP will start with a comprehensive analysis of the company's bulk power system to be completed in 2007:

1. Develop a ten-year forecasted load for Maine and the surrounding area.
2. Taking planned improvements into account, evaluate the performance of the existing bulk power system in accordance with national and regional reliability standards to identify present and future problems or weaknesses.
3. Assess alternatives for keeping Maine's system in compliance under future operating scenarios and identify the most cost-effective solution to achieve the required reliability;

Additionally, the MPRP will separately study alternatives to potential transmission system solutions, including energy conservation, energy efficiency, Demand Side Management (DSM) and distributed generation.

Any projects to improve the region's electrical infrastructure identified as part of the Maine Power Reliability Program will be subject to review and approval of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, ISO New England and other regulatory authorities.

The ISO-NE planning process is coordinated by the organization's professional staff and the ISO-NE Reliability Committee and Planning Advisory Committee. For more information please visit the ISO-NE website.