Three of the most consequential U.S. grid operators moved this year to unclog interconnection backlogs and modernize battery participation. Southwest Power Pool (SPP) approved a Consolidated Planning Process (CPP) that fuses transmission planning with generator interconnection. MISO won FERC approval for a time‑boxed Expedited Resource Addition Study (ERAS) to move priority projects faster. And ERCOT locked in a Dec. 5, 2025 go‑live for Real‑Time Co‑Optimization + Batteries (RTC+B), with new ancillary‑service durations geared to storage. (spp.org)
SPP’s shift is structural. Approved on Aug. 5, 2025, CPP replaces legacy study silos and is designed to cut average study times from 18 months to ~7 months while providing greater cost certainty. SPP asked FERC to make CPP effective Mar. 1, 2026, with full implementation in 2027 and the first CPP portfolio delivered in 2028—a schedule intended to align upgrades with the utility‑scale solar‑and‑storage pipeline. (spp.org)
MISO’s ERAS is tactical and near‑term. Approved July 22, 2025, ERAS caps participation at 68 projects studied in quarterly tranches (no more than 10 per quarter) and sunsets Aug. 31, 2027. Projects must meet verified resource‑adequacy needs and be online within 3–6 years. The first application window drew 26.6 GW of proposals—about 4 GW storage alongside thermal projects—underscoring the pent‑up demand for a fast lane. (misoenergy.org)
ERCOT is rewriting battery operations. Market notices confirm RTC+B production cutover for Dec. 5, 2025. Under approved protocol changes, Contingency Reserve (ECRS) moves to a 1‑hour duration while Non‑Spin remains 4 hours—a refit meant to better match risk duration with battery capability as real‑time co‑optimization debuts. ERCOT’s technical materials map the battery changes; sector reporting ties the duration tweaks to the RTC+B go‑live. (ercot.com)
Why it matters: These moves attack the chokepoints that keep utility‑scale renewables waiting. SPP’s merger of planning and interconnection targets timeline and cost visibility; MISO’s ERAS carves out a reliability‑driven fast lane while longer‑term reforms mature; ERCOT’s RTC+B should raise the throughput and revenue precision for storage participating in energy and services. Net‑net: clearer queues, firmer schedules, and market designs that better fit solar‑plus‑storage. (spp.org)
Sources
- SPP press release — Board approves Consolidated Planning Process; study time cut to ~7 months; FERC effective‑date request (Mar. 1, 2026), implementation 2027, first CPP portfolio 2028. (spp.org)
- MISO news release — FERC approves ERAS; caps at 68 projects (≤10 per quarter); sunsets Aug. 31, 2027; verified reliability need and 3–6 year COD. (misoenergy.org)
- Utility Dive — First ERAS window draws 26.6 GW (≈4 GW storage). (Utility Dive)
- ERCOT market notices — RTC+B go‑live for Dec. 5, 2025. (ercot.com)
- ERCOT technical deck — RTC+B + Batteries: approved ancillary‑service duration updates (e.g., ECRS 1‑hour, Non‑Spin 4‑hour). (ercot.com)
- Utility Dive — Duration decisions and context ahead of RTC+B launch. (Utility Dive)
