Category Archives: 2018

CPES Policy Committee Update: November 6, 2018

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by the CPES New Energy Professionals Team. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.

In this Update:

  • U.S. DOE Proposes New Approach to Classification of Grid-Related Information
  • ISO-NE Continues Progress on Energy Storage Integration
  • New ISO-NE Webinar Posted: Forward Capacity Market Substitution Auction for FCA #13
  • Department of Energy Announces $53 Million in New Projects to Advance Solar
  • FERC Acts on Cyber Security Risks with New Supply Chain-Related Reliability Standards
  • FuelCell Inks Power Agreement for Hartford Project

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

U.S. DOE PROPOSES NEW APPROACH TO CLASSIFICATION OF GRID-RELATED INFORMATION
The Energy Department has proposed a new system for labeling sensitive information about the electric grid and other energy systems. The proposed rule works to align the agency’s CEII process with rules at FERC. See the Federal Register notice for more information and instructions on submitting public comment.

ISO-NE CONTINUES PROGRESS ON ENERGY STORAGE INTEGRATION  
Plans for implementing ISO-NE’s new rules for energy storage devices  are now available on ISO’s webpage for the Energy Storage Device project, which will allow participants with grid-sized storage technologies to offer the full range of their asset’s capability in the regulation market while continuing to operate as a dispatchable energy market resource.

NEW ISO-NE WEBINAR POSTED: FORWARD CAPACCITY MARKET SUBSTITUTION AUCTION FOR FCA #13
The presentation and recording of the October 11, 2018, Forward Capacity Market Substitution Auction for FCA #13 webinar are now available on the ISO website.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ANNOUNCES $53 MILLION IN NEW PROJECTS TO ADVANCE SOLAR
TechnologiesThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced selections for up to $53 million in new projects to advance early-stage solar technologies. There were 53 projects chosen, which span across 21 states. More

FERC ACTS ON CYBER SECURITY RISKS WITH NEW SUPPLY CHAIN-RELATED RELIABILITY STANDARDS
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved new mandatory Reliability Standards to bolster supply chain risk management protections. The standards are aimed at mitigating cyber security risks. More

CONNECTICUT

FUELCELL INKS POWER AGREEMENT FOR HARTFORD PROJECT
FuelCell Energy Inc. announced Thursday it signed long-term power purchase agreements with local utilities to cover a 7.4-megawatt project in Hartford. PURA will grant final authorization of the agreements. More

CPES Policy Committee Update: October 30, 2018

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by the CPES New Energy Professionals Team. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.

In this Update:

  • Chatterjee Named FERC Chair
  • FERC Acts on Cyber Security Risks with New Supply Chain-Related Reliability Standards
  • FERC Technical Conference on Winter 2018-2019 Operations and Market Performance
  • Proposed Commercial Wind Leases Offshore MA 
  • Energy-Fund Sweeps Survive Constitutional Challenge
  • Recent PURA Dockets

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

CHATTERJEE NAMED FERC CHAIR
President Trump recently designated Commissioner Neil Chatterjee as the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Outgoing Chairman Kevin McIntyre will step down from his post but remain on as a FERC commissioner. Press release.

FERC ACTS ON CYBER SERCURITY RISKS WITH NEW SUPPLY CHAIN-RELATED RELIABILITY STANDARDS
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved new mandatory Reliability Standards to bolster supply chain risk management protections for the bulk electric system. The new standards augment current Critical Infrastructure Protection standards to mitigate cyber security risks associated with the supply chain for grid-related cyber systems.

FERC TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON WINTER 2018-2019 OPERATIONS  AND MARKET PERFORMANCE
FERC staff held a technical conference to hear from the Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs)  on their efforts for ensuring reliable and economic system performance during the 2018-2019 winter season. 

PROPOSED COMMERCIAL WIND LEASES OFFSHORE MA
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will hold the next offshore wind auction covering nearly 390,000 acres offshore Massachusetts on December 13.  Learn more here.

CONNECTICUT

ENERGY-FUND SWEEPS SURVIVE CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE
Dismissing claims by energy-efficient businesses and environmental groups late Thursday, a federal judge left it up to the Connecticut General Assembly to deal with blowback over its use of $145 million in ratepayer funds to balance the 2017 state budget. More

RECENT PURA DOCKETS
On October 24, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 18-10-22:  Call Before You Dig, Inc. Proposed Budget for 2019 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 101 [New Energy Professionals]

 

REGISTER

Co-sponsored by CPES New Energy Professionals and EBA, FERC 101 provides an overview of FERC’s role and jurisdiction, energy markets, and how the gas and electric industries are regulated by and interact with FERC. Panelists will also discuss current issues and trends in the electric and gas industries.

FERC 101 is the fourth in a series of informational sessions established to assist those new to the industry. The overarching goal of the 101 series is to provide a meaningful overview of agencies and businesses with whom professionals in the industry interact.

 

This session of FERC 101 will be in Day Pitney’s offices in both DC and Hartford.  Moderated by Joseph Fagan, panelists will include Andy Katz* (DC), Eric Jacobi** (CT), and Sebastian Lombardi (CT).  The panel will run from 9:30 to 11:00 AM on November 13, 2018.

 

Free, but registration is required.

 

 

 

 

 


*Andrew S. Katz, Mr. Katz is a Senior Counsel in the Eversource Energy (“Eversource”) Legal Department.  His primary responsibilities include FERC wholesale electric market and interstate natural gas transportation regulation, specializing in compliance, and enforcement issues.  Before joining Eversource, Mr. Katz was a Counsel with Constellation Power Source, Inc. (now Constellation Energy Commodities Group), supporting the trading and structured transactions business.  He also was a Director of Industry Legal Affairs with the Edison Electric Institute (“EEI”), where he coordinated the drafting team that developed the EEI Master Purchase and Sale Agreement.  Before joining EEI, Mr. Katz served as Chief Staff Counsel for the Maryland Public Service Commission.  He was a Senior Associate with the law firm of Metzger, Hollis, Gordon & Alprin.  Mr. Katz began his career in energy law as a Trial Attorney and Advisory Attorney with the FERC in the oil and natural gas regulatory program. 

**Eric Jacobi is an Energy Industry Analyst with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), in the Office of Energy Market Regulation.  At FERC, Eric works on New England energy issues in a decisional capacity, monitors ISO-NE and NEPOOL stakeholder meetings, and represents FERC regionally to enhance FERC’s interactions with representatives of the parties involved in the electric markets.  Prior to joining FERC, Eric worked for the CT DEEP in the policy unit on complex issues such as the Comprehensive Energy Strategy, the Integrated Resource Plan, Renewable Resource Procurements, represented the state on the Eastern Interconnection States’ Planning Council, led the state on NEPOOL and ISO-NE issues within the regional process and on FERC filings.  Prior to working in the policy unit at DEEP, Eric worked for twelve years as a member of the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC).  At the DPUC, Eric served as the lead technical expert representing the state in reliability must run proceedings and facilitated the state’s role in the locational installed capacity settlement proceedings at FERC.  Additionally, Eric worked on the procurement of baseload and peaking resources, and served as a financial analyst in complex rate cases.  Prior to joining the DPUC, Eric worked as a bond trader/industry analyst for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.  Eric has an MBA in finance from the University of Connecticut.

UCONN PhD Student Yan Li to be Honored with the 2018 Rising Star Award

 

Hartford, CT (October 10, 2018):  Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES) is thrilled to honor Yan Li, a University of Connecticut PhD student, with the 2018 Rising Star award at its 19th annual The Future of Energy: What’s the Deal? Conference and Exposition on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington, Connecticut.

“Yan has helped shape the energy landscape in Connecticut and the New England region by inventing new technologies that have significantly increased the hosting capacity of distributed energy resources (DERs, especially PVs) for CT’s power grids and protected our energy infrastructures against cyber-physical attacks,” said CPES Board Member and UCONN Director of Utility Operations and Energy Management Stanley Nolan.

A gifted young scholar full of creative ideas, Yan has demonstrated strong creativities in important areas including smart grids, cybersecurity, software-defined networking, microgrids, and networked microgrids. She has made outstanding contributions in smart grid and cyber-physical security.

Yan has pioneered two important areas Networked Microgrids and Software-Defined Smart Grids, which are of special interest to the renewables utilization and power grid modernization in Connecticut. Yan has developed a tool for the real-time dynamic analysis of renewable-energy-dominated power system (including networked microgrids) in Connecticut and its stability margin predictions. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has granted $1.05 million and U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has granted near $1 million to sponsor the aforementioned research.

Counting already eight prestigious research awards, contributions to 28 peer-reviewed publications, and her ability to secure over $3.4 million federal funding for UConn to conduct research in power and energy resilience and cybersecurity; Yan is entering her final year of PhD program with the career goal of being an outstanding female professor in a top university in the New England region.

Register Now!
Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities

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The Connecticut Power & Energy Society (CPES) is Connecticut’s leading association of energy professionals; dedicated to generating information, sharing ideas, and educating Connecticut about energy. www.ctpower.org

 

MEMBERS ONLY – Quantum Biopower Tour – Wrap Up

 

Where: Quantum Biopower, Southington, CT  |  9.28.18, 8:45am – 9:45am | FREE, Members Only

On Friday, September 28th, eleven CPES members went on a fascinating tour of Quantum Biopower; Connecticut’s first commercial food waste-to-energy facility currently recycling 40,000 tons of waste a year.  This facility is able to make clean, renewable energy with food waste through anaerobic digestion.  The methane created by the facility can easily be used to make electricity, vehicle fuels, or pipeline gas. 

We appreciate both Quantum Biopower’s efforts in giving the tour and our members who came to learn more about a different form of sustainable energy!