A team of power industry experts recently submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy to perform system-wide transmission analysis and planning for the transmission grid in the Western United States, Mexico and Canada.

The team — which includes POWER Engineers, IHS CERA, Siemens PTI, DC Interconnect, Lionel Barthold of iMod, communications firm Fleishman Hillard, GridPower — is proposing to facilitate the development and strengthen the capabilities of the Western Interconnection by analyzing transmission requirements to develop long-term interconnection-wide transmission-expansion plans that are technically viable, environmentally sensitive and economically sound.

Funding is coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, mostly commonly known as the economic stimulus package.

The team will use innovative practices including EHV/UHV overlays and the systematic integration of HVDC, as well as advanced applications of current practices to develop a number of interconnection-wide transmission plans. The plans will enable the DOE to support transmission policy decision-makers in Washington and the member systems of the Western Interconnection for a system that delivers power from renewable and “green” sources, minimizes costs and increases reliability.