Interconnection Queue
An interconnection queue catalogs generation and storage projects that have formally requested study so they can connect to the transmission or distribution system. Each queue position records the project size, technology, point of interconnection, and the developer's proposed in-service date, providing early visibility into regional development pipelines.
Queues have expanded rapidly as solar, wind, hybrid, and battery developers submit applications faster than operators can complete studies. Applicants post escalating deposits, provide detailed models, and progress through feasibility, system impact, and facilities studies that determine required network upgrades, protection settings, and operating limits.
Regulators and operators are introducing cluster studies, readiness milestones, and withdrawal penalties to improve throughput and discourage speculative reservations. Queue analytics have become a leading indicator for congestion relief needs, supply chain commitments, and asset acquisition strategies across competitive markets.
Investors and policymakers use queue transparency reports to gauge attrition rates, identify credible sponsors, and coordinate regional transmission initiatives. Public queue reforms have become a competitive differentiator for jurisdictions seeking to attract capital-intensive manufacturing and data center loads.
Technical Details
- •Study sequence typically includes feasibility, system impact, and facilities analysis
- •Deposits escalate from roughly $5,000 per MW to millions as studies progress
- •Average processing time in constrained regions often exceeds three years
- •Withdrawal penalties increase after system impact studies conclude
- •Cluster study reforms group projects by electrical region to share upgrades
Why It Matters
Queue bottlenecks determine when projects can deliver contracted energy or capacity revenues. Tera Intelligence Platform integrates queue records with map layers, transmission ratings, and sponsor profiles so users can track attrition risk, benchmark upgrade costs, and prioritize acquisitions that already hold advantageous queue positions.
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