The grid conditions gauge is a visual representation of MISO's active market capacity emergency notifications. The tool, designed for situational awareness only, shows real-time generation (capacity) and/or weather conditions impacting the MISO grid. The gauge needle moves when an alert, advisory, warning, event, or termination instruction takes effect (not when a notification is sent).
Grid Condition Green
Under normal conditions, the needle rests in the green area of the gauge. Should operators issue a weather related alert, the needle will remain in the green and a "View Notification" link will appear under the gauge. Click on the link for details.
Disclaimer: MISO notifications are official communications authored by the control room shift manager. The notification takes precedence over what may be shared visually on the Grid Conditions gauge.
Grid Condition Yellow
The needle pointing to "Yellow" signifies the grid is stable and MISO has issued one or more of the following notifications:
Conservative Operations: Used for situational awareness, the conservative operations notification asks MISO members to defer, delay, or recall any non-essential maintenance. This notification provides MISO member operators an indication that system conditions may require special attention.
Capacity Advisory: Used for situational awareness, this notification informs MISO member operators that, based on projected system conditions and capacity (supply) levels, there may be a need in the coming days to bring additional generation on-line.
Maximum Generation Alert: Used for situational awareness, this notification serves as an early alert that system conditions may require emergency actions.
Maximum Generation Warning: This notification asks member operators to prepare for a possible situation (an energy emergency alert) where operating reserve requirements may not be met without taking actions.
Grid Condition Orange
The needle pointing to "Orange" signifies the grid is stable and MISO has issued an Energy Emergency Alert 1 (EEA1).
EEA 1 is the first level of emergency operations and is issued to maintain reliability of the grid. It signals that MISO can no longer meet the forecasted demand + operating reserve requirements without taking action. Put another way, EEA1 means power demand could exceed supply if actions are not taken.
By declaring EEA1, MISO operators are able to access additional generation to increase the supply of electricity.
Grid Condition Dark Orange
The needle pointing to "Dark Orange" signifies the grid is stable and MISO has issued an Energy Emergency Alert 2 (EEA2).
EEA 2 is the second level of emergency operations and is issued to maintain reliability of the grid as operating reserves continue to decline. It signals that MISO is energy deficient and there is a need to reduce energy demand.
By declaring EEA2, MISO operators are able to tap into emergency generation not available during normal conditions. Additionally, MISO operators can purchase emergency energy from neighbors (when available) and implement procedures designed to reduce the demand for electricity. One option to reduce demand is for MISO to direct its member utilities to issue an appeal for consumers to conserve power. An EEA2 declaration DOES NOT automatically mean MISO will take this step.
Grid Condition Red
The needle pointing to "Red" signifies MISO has issued an Energy Emergency Alert 3 (EEA3).
EEA3 is the third and final level of emergency operations and is issued to protect the electric grid from cascading outages and ensure reliability is maintained to the greatest number of consumers possible. It signals energy supply and demand cannot be balanced and power interruptions are imminent or happening.
Power interruptions are always a last resort measure necessary to protect the reliability of the power grid. During these rare situations, MISO's responsibility as a grid operator is to identify the geographical area where the power interruptions need to occur along with the amount of electricity that needs to be reduced in order to balance electricity supply and demand. It is the responsibility of MISO's member utilities to implement the power interruptions and determine which of their customers will temporarily lose power.