Benefits of Cooperation and Transmission Access Among Interconnected Power Systems

The National Energy Board (NEB) was requested to identify possible measures to improve cooperation among Canadian electrical utilities and to enhance access for buyers and sellers of electricity to available transmission capacity through intervening systems for wheeling purposes. To identify measures for enhancing cooperation and transmission access, major studies were initiated to identify future cooperation opportunities, quantify their benefits and design measures and policies for implementing the necessary enhanced cooperation activities.This paper reviews the results of these studies which show there are extensive cooperation benefits yet to be captured. This paper should be of importance to the utility industries all over the world who are developing ideas for more efficient operation by increased interconnection , cooperation and transmission access. The approach taken in this paper could he followed to identify benefits of connecting isolated power systems or reinforcing existing interconnection by quantifying future operational and planning benefits against capital investments in transmission and extra administration harges.