Stakeholder Engagement Process

We seek the input of our stakeholders during each phase of our 10-Year assessment process

Since 2001, we have engaged in open and collaborative efforts to share information and solicit input on our plans. We believe that in making our planning efforts transparent and available to the public, the proposals for needed facilities can be more readily understood and accepted by communities that stand to benefit from them. In recent years the federal government has taken additional steps to ensure that transmission-owning utilities have produced and shared planning information with the public and local stakeholders. ATC is committed to continuing our open and transparent processes for planning our transmission system. We value the input of all of our stakeholders. We also strive to meet or exceed requirements in FERC Orders 890 and 1000. The ATC Stakeholder Engagement Process has three main phases where we solicit input from Stakeholders. These phases are Assumptions, Needs, and Solutions. The three phases, and the stakeholder input we seek, are described in the following paragraphs.

Assumptions Phase

In the assumptions phase of the process, ATC develops and proposes a study design for the coming assessment. We schedule a meeting with stakeholders to provide a summary of the study design that can facilitate discussion of planning criteria, study methods, assumptions for models, and potential public policy needs. Meeting notices and documentation can be found on the economic planning webpage. This input will affect decisions about which models to build and study, as well as resources and loads to model. This meeting is also an additional opportunity to collect responses to the results of the previous year’s assessment.

Needs Phase

For the needs phase of the annual 10-Year Assessment, we schedule a meeting with stakeholders to summarize how the results of analysis may be impacting existing needs or creating new needs. Meeting notices and documentation can be found on the economic planning webpage. Stakeholders are invited to participate and discuss potential needs, including those driven by public policy requirements. If needs can be shown to be driven by public policy requirements, this will be shown in the need category of the network project list.

Solutions Phase

In the solutions phase, we hold a meeting for stakeholders to participate and discuss whether appropriate solutions have been considered for identified needs. Meeting notices and documentation can be found on the economic planning webpage.  The projects making up the solutions we’ve identified in the assessment have multiple need drivers such as load growth, generation changes, asset renewal, public policy, and economic benefits. The need driver for each project is shown in the need category of the network project list.

ATC is involved in the assumptions and processes through which the MISO regional Public Policy studies are carried out. ATC also provides an updated list of projects to include in each MTEP, based on the recently completed ATC assessment.

Publication/Distribution

The Stakeholder process culminates in the publication of the assessment, both a printed summary and an update to the posting on the 10-Year Assessment website.

The information on this website provides further foundation for continued public discussions on the transmission planning process; identified transmission needs and limitations; possible resolutions to those needs; and coordination with other public infrastructure planning processes.

In the 2016 10-Year Assessment stakeholder process, there were no additional public policy requirements, needs or solutions suggested by stakeholders.