Headline: A Request to Link Two Power Grids Source: BLOOMBERG NEWS [via New York Times, 8 Nov 2000]

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 7 B American Transmission, a venture that will run electricity transmission for six Midwest utilities, has asked federal regulators to promote the combining of two regional power grids to cut costs and improve service.

American Transmission, based in Pewaukee, Wis., called for combining the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, whose system covers parts of 13 Midwestern states, with the Alliance Regional Transmission Organization, which includes Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio, in a filing with the federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

American Transmission is a member of the Midwest system; its filing comes after the proposed departure of two members from the Midwest grid to join another system.

[My comment: does anyone know what the practical implication of this might be, if any, for reliability of the grid in that section of the U.S.?]

-- Andre Weltman (aweltman@state.pa.us), November 08, 2000