The California Independent System Operator Corp. (ISO) Board of Governors has approved grid infrastructure upgrades that focus on the reliability needs in southern California in the wake of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) early retirement in June 2013.

The 2013-2014 Transmission Plan recommends 30 grid solutions — three of which help to offset the SONGS retirement — and it emphasizes projects that minimize emissions and address the reduction of local gas-fired generation in response to state requirements regarding use of coastal water for cooling power plants. The comprehensive analysis behind the plan creates a more flexible grid that further enhances reliability, meets state environmental and energy goals as well as provides economic benefits to consumers.

“This year’s plan addresses southern California reliability concerns by better using existing transmission and putting into place devices that support voltage needs,” said Bob Foster, Chairman, ISO Board of Governors. “We also have the opportunity to build on this foundation in future plans that will leverage preferred resources such as renewables, demand response and storage to create a modern, clean and resilient grid.”

The 15-month long planning cycle includes the active participation of transmission owners, generation owners and other stakeholders, as well as close coordination with the California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission.