Mike Hagerty Advises on US Generator Interconnection Reform
As the electric grid faces unprecedented demand growth, generator interconnection continues to be one of the most pressing challenges for ensuring reliable, affordable electricity. Principal Michael Hagerty coauthored the Generator Interconnection Interim Progress Report, prepared by Grid Strategies and The Brattle Group for Advanced Energy United.
The report evaluates how the nation’s seven regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs) are implementing generator interconnection reforms following FERC Order No. 2023. Rather than assigning new grades, the report assesses whether recent reforms are making interconnection queues faster, more transparent, and more predictable while identifying additional opportunities for improvement.
The report concludes that all seven regions have made meaningful progress over the past 18 months, but significant barriers remain. Among its recommendations are five priority reforms designed to further accelerate interconnection, including:
- Better integration of transmission planning with generator interconnection
- Greater use of automation while maintaining transparency
- More predictable interconnection costs through entry-fee approaches
- Improved processes for replacing existing generation
- Better reporting on transmission construction following interconnection agreements.
These recommendations build on Hagerty’s broader work before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In September 2024, he participated in FERC’s national workshop on innovations in generator interconnection (add link to posting on this), where he discussed how integrating transmission planning with interconnection studies can reduce costs, improve certainty for developers, and bring needed generation online more quickly. His comments drew on research proposing proactive transmission planning and standardized interconnection approaches that provide greater cost certainty and improve overall system efficiency.
