1. Natural Gas Infrastructure Assessment
Jim Robb
Chief Executive Officer
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

2. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Study Purpose
Identify potential future reliability risks related to the current and future natural gas infrastructure
Contingencies
Identify key natural gas related contingencies that should be included in utility planning
Dependence
Highlight risks associated with increasing dependence on gas—communicate to key policy makers
Mitigation
Identify risk mitigation options for policy maker and utility consideration
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

3. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Key Concerns
How secure and reliable is the gas supply?
Supply restrictions due to weather or other supply disruptions
Impacts of firm vs. interruptible contracts
Can and will any needed new infrastructure be built in a timely manner?
Challenges in permitting and siting
Is there adequate flexibility to meet future electric system operational needs?
Use of storage as a “shock absorber” to balance increasing ramping needs
Use of storage and pipeline pack to meet deliverability requirements
How should mid-stream risks be factored into electric reliability planning?
Critical storage fields
Critical processing facilities
Interstate pipeline availability
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

4. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Proposed Scope
Western Interconnection BES, with primary focus on US-based generation
Future scenario based on WECC’s 2026 Common Case load forecast, resource mix, and transmission topology
Rely on public sources for other needed information (e.g., core gas loads)
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

5. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Deliverables
Map BES assets to natural gas infrastructure and identify key points of vulnerability
Assess infrastructure adequacy to meet future needs based on 2026 Common Case
Assess the firmness of Western Interconnection gas supply and transportation contracts (ROP 1600 Request)
Identify key planning contingencies for utility planners to consider
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

6. Deliverables (continued)
Identify and assess risks of supply-side constraints and options for planning around them (e.g., Mexican gas exports)
Identify operating protocol issues that should be reconciled
Identify one or more “stress test” scenarios (e.g., weather and/or infrastructure failure stresses) and assess risk of cascading electric outage
Suggest mitigation options for reducing any identified risks
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

7. Technical Advisory Committee
Project Structure
Steering Committee
J. Robb, Chair
3-4 WEIL Members
1-2 Policy-Regulatory
1-2 Natural Gas Industry
Core Team
WECC Staff
Gas Consultant
Technical Advisory Committee
Electric Gas
WIRAB NGO
NERC Other TBD
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

8. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Next steps
Factor in responses from WEIL, WIRAB, WECC MAC and NERC
Technical session review with WECC Board in March
RFP for consulting support in March, selection in April
Establish data sharing protocols once consultant selected
Initiate project mid-year
Western Electricity Coordinating Council