The Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission (“States Collaborative”) has recently released three reports from the Planning Offshore Interregional Network Standardization (“POINTS”) Consortium. Prepared by DNV, Johns Hopkins University, and a distinguished group of industry professionals, the three reports provide: 

  • Recommendations for standardizing offshore transmission network design across the Atlantic Region; 
  • Procurement and contracting strategies for High Voltage Direct Current (“HVDC”) across States and across regional boundaries; and  
  • Pathways toward standardized HVDC transmission and modernized reliability standards for HVDC system.   

A webinar discussing the findings of the reports will be held on June 25 at 11 AM (registration here).

The event will be co-hosted by the Northeast States Collaborative and the POINTS Consortium. The States Collaborative is made up of representatives from state commissions, agencies, or governor’s offices of ten jurisdictions – Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and the District of Columbia—that have come together to coordinate on transmission grid expansion efforts in coordination with the U.S. Department of Energy.  

The POINTS Consortium brings together technical experts and state leaders to address the growing need for development of standardized transmission planning practices and technical specifications to support a meshed and interoperable grid along the Eastern United States. 

The research finds that greater coordination across transmission planning, procurement, equipment standardization, and modernized reliability frameworks can help reduce infrastructure costs, strengthen supply chains, improve grid reliability, and accelerate the deployment of offshore energy resources. The three reports also highlight the growing importance of HVDC technology as a key enabler of large-scale offshore energy integration and interregional transmission development. 

1 – Offshore Transmission Standardization Recommendations for the Atlantic Region

This report focuses on creating a common technical foundation for future offshore transmission development and identifies opportunities to improve coordination among Atlantic Coast states. 

Key Recommendations 

  • Establishcommon technical standards for offshore transmission infrastructure. 
  • Standardize voltage levels, equipment specifications, and design requirements where practical.
  • Develop common definitions and requirements for “network-ready” transmission systems.
  • Improve interoperability among transmission systems developed by different entities.
  • Create a foundation for future coordinated planning and shared offshore transmission infrastructure.

2 – Procurement and Contracting Strategies 

This report examines global HVDC supply-chain constraints and identifies procurement approaches that can improve project delivery timelines, reduce costs, and strengthen market certainty. 

Key Recommendations 

  • Develop a Northeast offshore transmission orderbook todemonstratelong-term market demand and provide greater certainty to manufacturers and suppliers. 
  • Pursue framework agreements, preferred supplier arrangements, and capacity reservation agreements to secure manufacturing capacity and critical equipment.
  • Coordinate transmission procurement schedules and technical specifications across states.
  • Establishcost-allocation frameworks for shared offshore transmission infrastructure. 
  • Explore innovative financing tools and insurance products to support large-scale transmission investments.

3 – Pathways Toward Standardized HVDC Transmission and Modernized Reliability Criteria for HVDC Systems 

This report examines how existing reliability planning frameworks affect deployment of large-capacity HVDC transmission systems (larger than the 1,200 MW limit that currently exists in New England) and identifies opportunities to modernize planning criteria while maintaining reliability. 

Key Recommendations 

  • Establisha Northeast technical working group to evaluate HVDC integration challenges and opportunities and create a NERC-led task force focused on HVDC technologies and reliability frameworks. 
  • Reevaluate contingency classifications and planning assumptions for modern HVDC systems.
  • Update regional planning criteria to reflect current HVDC technologies, operating capabilities, and international experience.
  • Evaluate solutions such as grid-forming battery storage, fast frequency response, dynamic reactive power devices, and transmission upgrades that can supportintegration oflarger HVDC facilities. 
  • Conduct comprehensive cost-benefit analyses toidentifythe most effective pathways for expanding transmission capability while maintaining reliability. 

*  * * 

Collectively, the three reports conclude that improved transmission planning practices, coordinated procurement strategies, and updated reliability frameworks can help lower costs, improve reliability, strengthen supply chains, and accelerate deployment of interregional transmission and offshore energy infrastructure. 

The findings are intended to support ongoing discussions among states, regional transmission organizations, reliability organizations, developers, manufacturers, and policymakers as they work to build the regional and interregional transmission infrastructure needed to meet future energy, reliability, and economic development goals.