Midwest ISO Could Become Transmission Coordination Authority

In an effort to keep more members from leaving its fold, the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator Inc. filed a motion with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to block Commonwealth Edison's petition to withdraw from the bulk electric transmission organization.

Midwest ISO's motion states that a public interest standard should govern the approval of any withdrawal from the organization. The Midwest ISO motion suggests one solution that could stabilize the current uncertainty in the region would be for the Midwest ISO to transform itself into a Midwest Transmission Coordination Authority. As a Midwest Transmission Coordination Authority, the Midwest ISO would coordinate multiple interregional transmission systems. This would allow market participants with varying business structures to use the systems and resources already put in place and those still being developed by the Midwest ISO.

A Midwest Transmission Coordination Authority structure could also dissolve seams between entities whether they be under one regional transmission organization or in two separate regional transmission organizations. The concept of the Midwest Transmission Coordination Authority is similar to the Independent Transmission System Coordination proposal made by Dynegy and the Transmission Oversight Agency suggested by the Alliance Regional Transmission Organization.