The New York State Electric Grid--Part 3
by Laura Burkhardt
Supply and Demand: Providers and Consumers of New York’s Electricity
Load Zones and Capacity Zones. For purposes of quantifying the demand for electricity in New York State, the state is divided into Load Zones. A map of the Load Zones is shown in Figure 1 below.
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Figure 1. Load Zones in New York State.
Source: http://nyarea.org/issue-briefs/new-yorks-transmission-challenges-opportunities-overview/
Load Zones are grouped into Capacity Zones, where capacity represents the potential supply of electricity for the load zones. The following table for 2018 shows the amount of electricity generated in each Capacity Zone and used in each Load Zone. These Capacity Zones correspond roughly to the upstate and downstate parts of the state. From this table we can see that more electricity is generated upstate (due to a plentiful supply of wind and hydro power) than is generated downstate. Conversely, more electricity is needed downstate (due to a denser population and more industrial activity) than is needed upstate.
Table 1. 2018 Energy Generation and Load in New York State
Upstate Sends Energy To Downstate. The shortfall in downstate generation is compensated for by the transfer of excess energy that is generated upstate. However, the amount of energy that can be transferred is limited due to the lesser capacity of the AC transmission lines that bring the energy to downstate.
Transmission Upgrades Will Allow More Upstate Energy to Get Downstate. These transmission limitations were addressed by the PSC in 2012 as one part of a response to Governor Cuomo’s Energy Highway Blueprint issued by the Energy Highway Task Force in October of that year [3-1]. At that time the PSC was also concerned about the effect of Indian Point’s pending closure in 2015 (which didn’t happen then but is now slated to occur in the next two years). The PSC subsequently began a proceeding (Case 12-T-0502) to review specific proposals from utilities and private developers for new transmission lines and upgrades to existing facilities in the AC electric transmission corridor that traverses the Mohawk Valley Region, the Capital Region, and the Lower Hudson Valley. The corridor includes facilities connected to Marcy, New Scotland, Leeds, and Pleasant Valley substations, and two major electrical interfaces (i.e., groups of circuits) that are often referred to as “Central East” (also referred to as Segment A) and “UPNY/SENY” (also referred to as Segment B). [3-2]. Refer to Figure 2 below.
Figure 2. Transmission Upgrades Identified by PSC [3-5]
Credit: Natural Resources Defense Council
The PSC required any proposed solution to Segment A (Central East) to provide a minimum 350 MW increase to the Central East interface transfer capability, while proposed solutions to Segment B (UPNY/SENY) must provide a minimum 900 MW increase to the UPNY/SENY interface transfer capability. [3-3] In April 2019 two transmission projects were selected by the NYISO Board of Directors to update these two segments. [3-4] The projects are expected to be completed in 2023 for a total (at a minimum) of a 1,250 MW increase in transfer capability. [3-5]
Demand Reduction Program by ConEd Will Reduce Downstate Demand. A second program initiated by the PSC in response to the 2012 Energy Highway Blueprint was a Demand Management Program (DMP) aimed at reducing load on the grid. Case 12-E-0503 directed Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Ed), as the local transmission owner, with the assistance of the New York Power Authority (NYPA), to develop a contingency plan for the potential closure of Indian Point by the end of 2015. This Reliability Contingency Plan was to take into account the potential impacts of energy efficiency (EE), demand response (DR), and combined heat and power projects (CHP). [3-6]
In February 2013 Con Ed and NYPA submitted a report that proposed to achieve an additional peak demand reduction of 100 MW; the CHP project would save an additional 25 MW. Through Quarter Three of 2019, committed and achieved EE/DR and CHP projects in the Demand Management Program account for approximately 137.5 MW, exceeding the 125 MW program goal. [3-8]
Behind the Meter
Wondering how your rooftop solar or the community solar farm that you signed up for fits into all this? We’ll discuss this topic in the next issue of Terra Firma.
Sources
[3-1] “Press Release – Governor’s Energy Highway Gains Momentum”, 11/27/2012, http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/MatterManagement/CaseMaster.aspx?MatterCaseNo=12-t-0502
SR # 399 .
[3-2] “CASE 12-T-0502 - Proceeding on Motion to Examine Alternating Current Transmission Upgrades - Order Instituting Proceeding”, 11/30/2012, http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/MatterManagement/CaseMaster.aspx?MatterCaseNo=12-t-0502, SR #396.
[3-3] “CASE 12-T-0502 - Proceeding on Motion of the Commission to Examine Alternating Current Transmission Upgrades”, 7/16/2019, http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/MatterManagement/CaseMaster.aspx?MatterCaseNo=12-t-0502
SR #1.
[3-4] “NYISO Board of Directors’ Decision On APPROVAL OF AC TRANSMISSION PUBLIC POLICY TRANSMISSION PLANNING REPORT AND SELECTION OF PUBLIC POLICY TRANSMISSION PROJECTS”, April 8, 2019,
[3-5] “NYISO approves 'historic' transmission to boost transfer capability to 900 MW”, April 17, 2019, https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nyiso-approves-historic-transmission-to-boost-transfer-capability-to-900/552910/
[3-6] “Order Instituting Proceeding and Soliciting Indian Point Contingency Plan”, Nov. 30, 2012, http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/MatterManagement/CaseMaster.aspx?MatterCaseNo=12-E-0503, SR #542