MISO stakeholders said another round of expensive system upgrades would render its West planning region a “dead zone” for new generation.

MISO West won’t see any major projects in this year’s transmission planning cycle, despite complaints that renewables in the interconnection queue necessitate billions in upgrades.

Transmission buildout costs in MISO West under the 2020 expansion plan will look much the same as last year’s, RTO officials said.

MISO renewable proponents want to revamp a transmission planning process they say inhibits the development of generation in the western region.