A survey of publicly available transfer capability data

This paper summarizes the transmission system data resources used to construct a North American network representation modeled in the Spot Market Network (SMN) model developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The data, largely available through various FERC Form 715 reports, are used to construct a network representation capable of modeling interarea transfer opportunities between modeled systems. A brief introduction of the SMN model and the desired level of transmission detail is first described. Next, various data resources that report published transfer capabilities essential to model operation are introduced. Modifications or adaptations of individual published network topologies are described, which are supported through extensive examinations of alternate data sources, as well as through discussions with knowledgeable operations experts or regional staff. The method of obtaining the current SMN network formulation is finally presented to illustrate the integration of regional and subregional network detail into the North American SMN transmission representation.