The grid operator for the central United States selected another 8 gigawatts of natural gas and battery storage projects for fast-track treatment under a process approved by federal regulators last year.
This is the third set of projects chosen for expedited study by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) in just six months, following forecasts of surging electricity demand growth driven by data centers that power artificial intelligence.
In all, MISO has chosen 27 GW of new power plants for expedited study — an amount roughly equal to the generating capacity in the state of Indiana. Aubrey Johnson, MISO’s vice president of system planning, said the Expedited Resource Addition Study (ERAS) process is needed to help states in the region maintain a reliable grid as demand grows.
“The interest we continue to see reflects both the urgency and the opportunity to develop a clear, timely path to interconnection, and ERAS is helping us provide that in the near term,” he said in a statement.
