The Complexity of the Evolving Grid - MISO’s Take

The grid is getting more complex, complicating the responsibilities of the entities responsible for keeping electricity flowing. In this episode of Grid Talk, host Marty Rosenberg interviews Clair Moeller who is the President and Chief Operating Officer for the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO).

The discussion focuses on the evolving power grid and the transition to clean energy.

 “Retirements are outpacing new installations of resources on the grid and that’s a problem that we haven’t had on the grid since its early formation period in the ‘30s,” Moeller said. “Things are moving in an uncoordinated fashion where we’re creating risk for the grid that we maybe didn’t anticipate.”

One of the risks is the need for more transmission to meet demand.

“By the time we’re all in, it will be over a hundred billion dollars’ worth of transmission investments.”

Spending for new generation and transmission will have an impact on consumers.

“Energy costs at the consumer level are going to go up substantially,” said Moeller.

Moeller also talks about the pace of the energy transition and the need for education. 

“We can reduce our carbon footprint faster if we build more gas-fired generation so that we can turn off coal plants. But that just doesn’t make sense to people that think we should turn off combustion because that’s how you reduce the carbon footprint,” he said.

Clair Moeller leads all aspects of the Operations division at MISO, including grid operations, forward markets, system planning, external affairs, information technology and corporate services. Moeller also has executive responsibility for the compliance and external affairs teams.

He is an industry expert with experience in the operation of power systems throughout the Midwest. He is skilled at identifying and implementing the best practices in transmission planning and system operations.

Moeller completed the Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership course at Oxford Said Business School, the Executive Management program at the Carlson School of Business, University of Minnesota, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University.