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Case Study
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Phase 1 of the 2022 cycle introduced new processes and multiple draft iterations. This report shows how Nira's methodology and team expertise helped developers interpret results, anticipate outcomes, and move forward with greater confidence.
By Nira Energy | Published March 2022
The 2022 Phase 1 decision point introduced new complexity with MISO’s first use of the SUGAR solver. Results were produced with both SUGAR and TARA, and developers had to contend with multiple iterations of draft postings released with varying levels of detail. This created industry-wide uncertainty and made it difficult to understand which results were authoritative. Nira helped customers make sense of each posting — breaking down what was available, clarifying differences between iterations, and validating how SUGAR was being implemented in MISO’s study process.
In this environment, customers turned to Nira for two reasons: our aligned methodology for Phases 2 and 3, which are confirmed to use TARA, and the expertise of our 14+ Transmission Planning specialists who guided them through unprecedented changes. With this support, we enhanced the quality of results by identifying and addressing issues that often arise from manual processing. In doing so, Nira helped customers avoid exposure to potential misallocations that could have amounted to billions of dollars across hundreds of projects. This report highlights case examples where these issues were surfaced and corrected — ultimately giving customers greater confidence in their withdrawal, downsize, or investment decisions.
The 2022 Phase 1 cycle was unprecedented, but Nira’s team was able to adapt in real time, delivering live updates, refining scenarios, and supporting customers through each change. Looking ahead, we’ve reflected on these lessons and are making improvements, including new internal workflows that further strengthen our accuracy and error detection. Our goal remains clear: to equip developers with the most reliable, actionable insight possible for every decision point ahead.
