Transmission System Planning-The Old World Meets The New

Transmission systems in the United States and around the world have become more difficult to plan under deregulation. Uncertainties in generation type, location, and pricing coupled with market mechanisms that encourage transfers not designed for in the legacy transmission system have made the transmission planner's life difficult. This paper describes the planning process under regulation, some of the issues encountered during the present transition to a deregulated industry, and some of the open questions that need to be addressed in the United States.