Natalie McIntire who is a technical consultant on the interconnection matters can easily attest to the interconnecting generators on the grid. This is great for renewables but the issue stems from the fact that the whole thing is challenging. Studies are showing that if the grid is to remain reliable with the addition of new power sources, then this can take a number of years to do. In most cases, it would seem that new generators are often required to pay for things such as transmission lines, substations and various other forms of infrastructure. This helps to ensure reliable interconnections.

Things can be made even more complex when you try to connect a generator in one owner's territory to a transmission centre in another. In this case, you have double the trouble to deal with. The new generator has to be studied by two regions and this can require additions to be made to both of the grids. This helps to rocket the cost of the installation and it also means that it takes way more time to get things online as well. The JTIQ happened to take the long view when they were looking for the transmission solutions that were available. They did not consider the new generators that may come across in the next year or even two years. They anticipated the generation over a several-year period, and this probably meant the next five or even ten years. This helps to identify any cost-effective solutions but at the end of the day, it really does mean that changes have to be made. With all of this in mind, it's important to know that the upgrades are now taking place and that things are looking much more positive for the future.