EnerNex Awarded Contract to Asses Potential Wind Impact in MN

0 Comments | Renewable Energy Today, Dec 12, 2005

EnerNex Corporation recently announced it has been awarded a contract by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the potential operational impacts of wind generation on utility power systems in the state.

According to EnerNex, the study, which will focus on the potential impacts on reliability and costs associated with increasing wind capacity to 20 percent of Minnesota retail energy sales by 2020, will identify and develop options to manage the impacts of wind resources.

The study will evaluate the effects of wind generation and variability on balancing authority regulation and load following requirements via high-resolution simulation of coordinated generation dispatch and control in the Midwest Independent System Operator control area. The initial evaluation will focus on benchmark and base generation expansion scenarios, with results to be analyzed to determine major drivers for integration cost and market impacts.

EnerNex noted that it has enlisted the assistance of WindLogics and AREVA T&D to perform the study and that its team will closely coordinate with the utilities and the Minnesota Reliability Administrator in conducting the project.

Contact: Sandy Smith, EnerNex, phone 865-671-6650 ext 41, e-mail sandy@enernex.com.

(EIN STAFF: 12/7)