Grid Operator MISO Christens $22 Million Command Center In Little Rock

Gov. Asa Hutchinson called the christening of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s new $22 million state-of-the art command center in West Little Rock a “window to reliable energy” in Arkansas and across the U.S.

Hutchinson made his remarks on Tuesday morning as Midcontinent (MISO) officials and dignitaries from across the state cut the ribbon on the 50,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to employ 42 workers at an average annual salary of $85,000.

“I want to recognize the importance of MISO locating here in Little Rock and their investment in our community,” Hutchinson told the crowd of more than 100 people. “As I have a priority on industrial development, on business and economic growth in this state – it does not take you long to realize that to you can’t accomplish that objective without reliable sources of energy.

“Arkansas’ window to reliable energy is through MISO and what they bring is not just an amazing investment in that facility, it is not just the 42 employees who will be high-wage, high-tech jobs, but it will also be the opportunity to expand Arkansas in the manufacturing and energy sector,” the governor said.

Once operations begin in early June, the MISO command center will control a major portion of the nation’s electricity grid system that includes a 15-state region stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Manitoba, Canada.

MISO officials said the company’s first group of workers is primarily experts in engineering and technology, adding to thousands of existing jobs at high-tech companies throughout Arkansas. Once at full strength, the Carmel, Ind.-based grid operator expects to have 54 total workers at the Little Rock operations center.

“We hope to use our presence here not only as a resource to the greater Little Rock community, but as a magnet for other energy-sector firms,” said John Bear, president and CEO of MISO. “Little Rock can become a major center for science, engineering and technology jobs which will mean a bright future for the city and enhance Little Rock’s reputation as an energy capital.”

During an interview with Talk Business & Politics before the grand-opening, Bear said MISO’s control center in Little Rock will ensure delivery of reliable least-cost energy to wholesale energy customers in the company’s South region, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and parts of Texas. The control center will work in tandem with a similar facility at MISO’s Carmel, Ind. headquarters outside of Indianapolis, and a third facility in Eagan, Minn., near Minneapolis, he said.

Currently, MISO’s employees at all three locations work together in real-time operations, market operations, customer services, government and regulatory affairs, information technology and administrative support.

$1 BILLION IN SAVINGS TO THE SOUTH
In late 2013, Entergy Corp. completed the integration of their transmission system into MISO following more than two years of planning and preparation with the New Orleans-based parent of Entergy Arkansas and numerous other stakeholders.

Earlier in 2006, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) required that Entergy appoint an independent coordinator of transmission to ensure open access to the company’s transmission system and to avoid “unjust or preferential” transmission rates.

Entergy initially appointed Southwest Power Pool to serve as the coordinator but later transferred that task to MISO because of the economic benefits. Bear said the integration process that was completed in December 2013 went smoothly, and MISO still expects the initial projections of more than $1 billion in savings to Entergy utility customers over the next decade to be realized.

“Everything went as well as it could have gone,” Bear said of the integration process that was completed in December 2013. “The best news for me is that I have met with every (stakeholder) and every person has said they have met or exceeded the benefits that they projected.”

“We are right at $3 billion overall this year, and $850 million is in the South region alone,” said the MISO chief executive.

Todd Hillman, MISO’s vice president of South operations, said MISO began establishing roots in Little Rock in 2013 when the decision was first made to establish a southern presence. The non-profit grid operator selected Little Rock primarily due to its existing knowledge base with a strong understanding of transmission planning and engineering, both Hillman and Bear said.

Hillman said MISO has already begun to contribute to the community in ways beyond its operation of the electric grid. In the short time that the company has been in Little Rock, the company’s employees have been actively involved with Make-A-Wish Mid-South.

Hillman, who will serve as the chief executive at the Little Rock command center, said he hopes to establish MISO as a major contributor to the state’s growth in STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) movement.

“We are jumping in with both feet and we hope that are impact is important and far-reaching,” Hillman said.