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This is the question asked by Andy Kowalczyk, Transmission Director for SREA in his recent blog on the SREA website.
Entergy and Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) are finally moving forward with long-overdue transmission upgrades across MISO South, including more than $3.5 billion in proposed projects to address long-recognized vulnerabilities from Southeast Texas to South Louisiana. These improvements are essential, but they raise a critical question: Are we planning for the grid we’ll need in 5, 10, and 20 years, or simply reacting to past failures?
With unprecedented load growth from data centers and more than 60 GW of new generation mostly renewables waiting in the queue, the era of flat demand is over. The future grid will rely heavily on renewables and battery storage. These resources must be fully integrated into transmission planning, not treated as afterthoughts.
Long-range planning (LRTP) in MISO South is finally taking shape, but true grid resilience requires a proactive, forward-looking strategy that matches generation and transmission for the long term. If we want an affordable, reliable, modern grid, we must build for tomorrow’s demands and challenges, not just for yesterday’s storms.
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