By Ethan Howland of UtilityDive
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator - the second largest US grid operator after PJM Interconnection - on Friday proposed a set of requirements large loads must meet before they can connect to the grid, including ramping and ride-through specifications.
The “interconnection reliability requirements” framework aims to improve MISO’s visibility into large load “characteristics and behavior, support reliable planning and operational decision-making, and establish scalable and technically justified expectations proportional to demonstrated reliability risk,” the grid operator said in its filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The proposal is a part of MISO’s response to FERC’s mid-June “show cause” orders requiring major grid operators to set rules that meet certain criteria for adding data centers and other large loads to the grid. MISO said it plans to make additional proposals by a Nov. 16 deadline.
MISO’s proposal follows similar actions at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the PJM Interconnection aimed at setting reliability standards for large loads after several incidents where data centers suddenly tripped offline, raising concerns about grid stability.
On average, electric demand was relatively flat between 2009 and 2024, growing by about 0.5% a year, MISO told FERC. Now, the grid operator expects 1% to 2% annual growth through 2044, with higher growth rates in the near term, according to MISO, which runs the grid and wholesale power markets from Louisiana to Minnesota.
MISO’s proposal defines “large loads” as those larger than 50 MW, and “computational loads” as large loads that include at least 25 MW of demand from information technology equipment, such as servers, storage and networking hardware.
The separate computational load classification will allow MISO to target certain requirements just to data centers, the grid operator said.
“Computational loads may exhibit rapid and coordinated changes in demand, significant power-electronic behavior, and distinct responses to transmission system disturbances,” MISO said.
MISO’s proposed reliability framework sets requirements for its transmission customers that take service on behalf of large loads. It covers four main areas:
To improve MISO’s visibility into large loads on its system, transmission customers must provide MISO with basic information and modeling data on large load facilities, according to the proposal. They must also provide real-time and day-ahead load forecasts for the facilities.
The information is needed “to support planning studies, operational assessments, and accurate representation of large loads behavior and system impacts,” MISO said.
The PMU requirements set monitoring expectations for computation loads through high-resolution, time-synchronized measurements, according to MISO.
“PMU data provides MISO with greater visibility into facility behavior during system disturbances and rapid operating changes, supporting model validation, performance verification, disturbance analysis, and identification of potential dynamic interactions with the transmission system,” MISO said.
MISO said its proposed ramp requirements address the rate at which computational loads may increase or decrease electric use during stable-state transitions.
“Managing rapid changes in demand helps reduce real-time supply-demand imbalances, sudden change in transmission power flows, and associated operational impacts, while supporting more reliable system operation,” MISO said.
The proposed measures set minimum disturbance performance requirements for computational loads during voltage and frequency disturbances to reduce the risk of unnecessary disconnection or customer-initiated rapid reductions in demands during system events, MISO said.
MISO’s proposal includes grandfathering provisions to provide certainty to existing and nearly complete commercial arrangements for large loads. MISO asked FERC to let its proposal take effect on Dec. 4.
MISO plans to file additional large load-related proposals, including for additional transmission products and associated study processes, protections against cost shifts and the treatment of generation service to “electrically proximate” large loads, MISO said.
Tyler Durden Wed, 09/02/2026 - 11:00Oil prices were volatile but are trading around unchanged this morning, but still near the highest closing level in five weeks (WTI topped $92 overnight) as hostilities broke out again between the US and Iran, renewing the threat to energy exports from the Middle East.
The US conducted a second day of strikes on the Islamic Republic overnight, with President Donald Trump threatening more attacks if Tehran responded. Within hours, Iran retaliated against Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, countries that host American forces.
“The market is now clearly pricing in a direct military confrontation, while the prospect of a negotiated solution has diminished,” said Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst at Global Risk Management in Copenhagen.
“This is a worse combination for the energy market than the situation we faced just a few days ago and even in April. Today, inventories are even more depleted.”
Priecs pared some gains this morning on Venezuela news and more much-debated news from Secretary Wright about 'shadow' flows through the Strait.
API
Crude -2.6mm
Cushing
Gasoline +348k
Distillates -265k
DOE
Crude -4.45mm (+60k exp)
Cushing +80k
Gasoline -1.17mm
Distillates +796k
US Crude stocks declined for the first time in five weeks (more than expected and more than API reported) while Gasoline stocks continued to drawdown and Cushing saw a de minimus build. Distillates stocks did see a build (good news) for the first time in five weeks...
Distillate supplies on the East Coast are now at record lows, while supplies on the West Coast are the lowest since May 2025. The vast majority of heating oil demand in the US occurs in the Northeast, so this is less than ideal with just a month to go before heating season starts.
Another brutal week for gasoline imports, which fell to 370,000 barrels a day last week. That’s below levels for the same time in 2020. There’s just not a lot of relief for markets desperate for more supply.
Amid all the clamor that Venezuela will be used to refill it, the SPR saw yet another drawdown last week (-3.12mm barrels) for the biggest overall crude draw since July...
The SPR is now at its lowest level since 1982...
US Crude production surged back to record highs...
Refinery crude refinery runs soared to the highest in seven years, as oil processing in both the Gulf Coast and Midwest moved higher, with the Midwest at an all-time record high. Runs on the Gulf Coast are the highest for this time of the year.
WTI holding around $90...
The return to a hot war has once again thrust shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz into jeopardy, as the two sides remain at loggerheads and diplomatic efforts yield few results.
Tyler Durden Wed, 09/02/2026 - 10:45Venezuela’s crude oil production rate could double in the next few years thanks to new deals set to be signed with U.S. and other foreign energy companies, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said.
“The investment in these deals will massively grow available oil production, which will give downward pressure on oil prices, but the biggest kink right now in gasoline and diesel prices is refining capacity,” Wright said during a one-day visit to Caracas, as quoted by OilPrice.
Venezuela’s peak oil production rate was about 3 million barrels daily, but that was in the late 1990s. Since then, amid U.S. sanctions and underinvestment, production has dropped to 1.25 million barrels daily this year. Exports are running slightly above 1 million barrels daily, with the biggest portion going to U.S. refiners along the Gulf Coast.
Last week, news broke that the U.S. federal government was negotiating a direct ownership stake in the country’s high-yield field that contains combined reserves of 90 billion barrels of crude. At the end of last week, President Trump called the deal “historic”, covering 17 fields with target production of 1.5 million barrels per day. The deal will involve a U.S.-based company owned by a Venezuelan tycoon, which has already been granted 14 oil deals by the Venezuelan government.
The U.S. government will have rights to a 35% stake in the company plus access to 20% of North American Blue Energy Partners’ production at cost. The U.S. federal government will also have the right of first refusal for the purchase of the other 80% of NABEP’s production from Venezuelan fields.
Analysts have noted that such a major boost in Venezuelan crude oil production would require substantial investments, with Rystad Energy putting the total at some $180 billion, which would need to be invested over the next ten years.
Tyler Durden Wed, 09/02/2026 - 10:35