NYISO yesterday released its 2010 Comprehensive Reliability Plan (CRP) -- that goes beyond typical planning measures and examines issues such as environmental initiatives and aging infrastructure.  "The NYISO recognizes that factors other than load growth can contribute to reliability concerns," said its CEO Stephen Whitley.

          The report follows the 2010 Reliability Needs Assessment that reported the grid's power resources were enough to meet demand through 2020.  That may not be the case if resources retire early, efficiency programs do not pan out as intended or load grows faster than projected.

          The CRP similarly found no looming reliability problems but NYISO will continue to track relevant factors.  The ISO tracks critical assets including the planned development of generation, transmission and DR.  It is also looking into the cumulative effect of emerging environmental regulations and the implementation of the state's efficiency programs.

          NYISO will be conducting an assessment of the voltage performance of the bulk power system, it added.