Perspective

Independent transmission companies have a role in creating public benefit in wholesale competitive electricity markets.

On April 25, FERC conditionally approved formation of TRANSLink Transmission Company, LLC (TRANSLink), a multi-state, multi-utility independent transmission company (ITC) that will operate in the Southwest, Midwest, and upper Midwest in the United States. TRANSLink will be an ITC under the combined Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator/Southwest Power Pool (MISO/SPP) regional transmission organizations and in a Western RTO covering the Colorado region. To date, there is no approved RTO in the Western region that TRANSLink serves. TRANSLink intends to use the same model in the West.

The purpose of this perspective article is to expand upon the FERC and DOE's public policy observations. It is directed at the TRANSLink relationship with MISO/SPP, and it describes the four key benefits the hybrid RTO/ITC structure envisioned by TRANSLink provides to electricity customers.