Utility commissions in five Republican states said the Midwest’s grid operator overstated the benefits of a $22 billion package of power lines last year to win their approval — investments they said effectively shift costs to help other states meet their climate goals.
Regulators from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota and Montana filed a complaint Wednesday asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to find that the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) wrongly approved the largest-ever portfolio of transmission projects in December.
The complaint alleges that MISO overstated the economic benefits of the power lines to justify approval. The projects are seen as key to helping enable the transition from central station coal- and gas-fired power plants to a grid dominated by renewable energy and batteries.
“By siting renewable generation remotely to meet certain state and utility goals, MISO creates an artificial need for enormous transmission investment,” the complaint said.
