FERC gave its blessing to the merger of Columbia Grid and Northern Tier Transmission Group to form NorthernGrid, a transmission planning region stretching eight states.

Developers of transmission projects that would send wind power across the Western Interconnection made cases at the Western Planning Regions Interregional Coordination Meeting.

FERC ruled that the proposed merger of ColumbiaGrid and Northern Tier Transmission Group into NorthernGrid fell short of the requirements of Order 1000.

A proposed merger of two Northwest transmission planning groups into NorthernGrid has won over state regulators, but LS Power wants a FERC tech conference.

CAISO is exploring ways to exchange more low-carbon electricity with the Pacific Northwest, while WestConnect looks to absorb exports from California during overgeneration.

Stakeholders expressed concerns over how the Western Interconnection’s four transmission planning organizations can align their separate regional processes.