Background:
Zonal Resource Credits (ZRC) are the fungible unit by with the Planning Resource Auction (PRA) is conducted and means by which MISO members demonstrate they have sufficient capacity to meet Resource Adequacy requirements.
A ZRC represents one (1) megawatt of deliverable Seasonal Accredited Capacity (SAC).
Market Participants must first confirm their calculated SAC of their resources and then convert the confirmed SAC into ZRCs. This is all done within the MISO Module E Capacity Tracking (MECT) tool available via the MISO Market Portal.
A portion of the SAC value calculated for a resource gets categorized into what the Tariff defines as deliverable capacity. The typical fashion to demonstrate deliverability under the tariff is through the resource’s Generator Interconnection Agreement (GIA) which establishes the level of Network Resource Interconnection Service (NRIS).
In the MECT the portion of SAC that is deliverable is categorized into the “NRIS SAC” category. The remaining SAC is placed into the “ERIS SAC” category. Please refer to the KA for more information and examples: https://help.misoenergy.org/knowledgebase/article/KA-01399/en-us
Per the Tariff, capacity associated with ERIS must be accompanied by firm Transmission Service in order to be considered deliverable and thus be able to be converted into ZRCs.
Steps in the MECT to convert SAC into ZRCs
NRIS SAC is considered convertible into ZRCs. In the MECT Convert SAC display, type in the amount you wish to convert into the dialog box and click “Submit (x) Records” to convert NRIS SAC into ZRCs.
Note: Behind the Meter Generators (BTMG) and Demand Response (DR) SAC will show up as ERIS SAC but is considered to be convertible into ZRCs once the registration has been approved. BTMG and DR would not have Generator Interconnection Agreements which establish the levels of Interconnection Service (NRIS or ERIS).
ERIS SAC for CP Nodes or External Resources (ER) require firm Transmission Service information for demonstration of deliverability. This can be in the form of Firm Point to Point (PTP) or Network Integration Service (NITS). More information on firm Transmission Service can be found in BPMs 011 and 013.
To confirm all of your available ERIS SAC, your resource must be deliverable up to its effective ICAP. Effective ICAP = lesser of (GVTC, Interconnection Service [NRIS+ERIS]).
To confirm all your available ERIS SAC, your resource must be deliverable up to its effective ICAP. Effective ICAP = lesser of (GVTC, Interconnection Service[NRIS+ERIS]).
- If your resources ICAP is limited by Interconnection Service, the amount of ERIS required is the
full amount of ERIS of the resource. - If your resource is limited by GVTC, the amount of ERIS required is = Effective ICAP – NRIS.
- Your Effective ICAP is what the DA Must offers is based on More Info here
- If your resources ICAP is limited by Interconnection Service, the amount of ERIS required is the
- For Wind resources the amount of interconnection required is based on the intermittent deliverability curves found in the MECT and as requested through the help portal.
In the MECT screenshot below is where you will enter firm Transmission Service information to enable ERIS SAC to be converted into ZRCs.
Keep in mind the following fields need to be correct or the firm Transmission Service cannot be approved.
- MW amount cannot exceed Total ERIS SAC
- Dates need to be correct for each respective season.
- Summer: 06/01/2023 – 08/31/2023
- Fall: 9/1/2023 – 11/30/2023
- Winter: 12/1/2023 – 02/29/2024 (leap year)
- Spring: 03/01/2024 – 05/31/2024
Identify whether you are using NITS or PTP:
If you are using NITS please use the 4 digit reference number for your company as the TSR number. If you are using PTP please use the 8 digit assign ref #.
NITS must be confirmed Scheduling Rights (SR). DNR with no SR does not qualify for ERIS SAC conversion.
New for the 23-24 Planning Year, an auto-approve feature has been implemented in the MECT with a limited set of criteria to check for. If the firm Transmission Service meets these specific limited conditions, the firm Transmission Service will be auto-approved. If not, you will receive a dialog box like this:
The firm Transmission Service will go into Pending Status on the MECT’s Convert SAC Screen and MISO staff will review and approve accordingly.
Note: There are plans to revise and improve the automated display message to avoid further confusion on this auto approval feature.
Once the firm Transmission Service is approved automatically or by MISO manually, the ERIS SAC will be automatically converted into ZRCs.