REV2025: Barriers & Opportunities to Accelerating Interconnection in New England
Wednesday, October 15th, 2025 – 1:15 to 2:15 p.m.
Sponsored by Lightshift Energy
Amphitheater
Electrification and data center development are driving significant new load growth and interconnection queues across the U.S. include more capacity than our existing generating fleet. Accelerating the interconnection review and approval process will be critical to ensuring the reliability and affordability of our power supply. Panelists will discuss evolving policies and practices from across New England and the country, and new techniques for automating interconnection studies that offer pathways for faster interconnection.
Speakers
Shay Banton, Energy Systems Engineer, IREC
Shay Banton (they/them) is an energy systems engineer, grid integration policy expert, and energy justice advocate with eight years of experience spanning utility regulation, clean energy development, and federally funded R&D. At the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), Shay leads the Energy Justice Regulatory sub-program, producing equity-centered analyses and policy development for interconnection, distribution planning, grid transparency, and cost allocation.
Alex Rost, ISO New England
Alex Rost is the Director of Transmission Services within the ISO New England System Planning department. The Transmission Services group administers requests for generation interconnection and transmission service, supports the coordination of interconnection studies with other study efforts (e.g., state jurisdiction interconnection studies), and oversees the maintenance and build of system study models. Alex joined ISO New England in 2012, previously holding engineering and management positions in the Transmission Planning and Forward Capacity Market Resource Qualification groups.
Jeffrey Wettstein, Interconnection Specialist, Pearl Street Technologies
Jeff Wettstein is an experienced renewable interconnection professional with a background in approaching development from the utility, consulting, and developer perspectives. He has experience in siting projects, maneuvering through the interconnection queue, performing studies, and conducting sensitivities. Jeff holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Union College and an M.S. in Power Systems from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.