Category Archives: 2018

CPES Policy Committee Update: October 10, 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:

  • EIPC Publishes Report on the State of the Eastern Interconnection
  • FERC Publishes Strategic Plan for FY 2018-2022
  • Recent PURA Dockets

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

EIPC PUBLISHES REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE EASTERN INTERCONNECTION
The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIPC) has issued a new report, “State of the Eastern Interconnection,” the collection of power systems serving two-thirds of the US and Canada. The report describes the region’s coordinated planning to maintain the reliability of the bulk power grid.

FERC PUBLISHES STRATEGIC PLAN FOR FY 2018-2022
On Oct. 1 FERC released its strategic plan for fiscal years 2018 to 2022. The plan addresses six strategic objectives and the evolving barriers and opportunities related to each. 

CONNECTICUT

RECENT PURA DOCKETS
October 3, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 17-10-46RE01:  Application of The Connecticut Light and Power Company d/b/a Eversource Energy to Amend its Rate Schedules – EV Rate Rider 

On October 1, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 18-10-02:  PURA Review of the Connecticut Gas Utilities Forecasts of Demand & Supply 2019 – 2023  

On September 26, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 10-03-11RE03:  Investigation into Town Square Energy, LLC – Marketing 

CPES Policy Committee Update: October 3, 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:

  • Second Circuit Upholds NY Nuke Plant Subsidies
  • FERC Technical Conference on Winter Operations and Market Performance in RTOs/ISOs
  • Upcoming ISO-NE Training Opportunities
  • Regulators back Millstone assertion of ‘at risk’ status
  • Zero Carbon RFP
  • Recent PURA Dockets

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

SECOND CIRCUIT UPHOLDS NY NUKE PLANT SUBSIDIES
The Second Circuit on Thursday upheld subsidies offered by New York state to prop up struggling nuclear power plants, joining the Seventh Circuit in concluding that such subsidies don’t usurp Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority over wholesale electricity markets. More info

FERC TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON WINTER OPERATIONS AND MARKET PERFORMANCE IN RTOs/ISOs
FERC will hold a technical conference on October 18 in Washington, D.C. to hear from the RTOs/ISOs on their efforts for ensuring reliable and economic system performance during the 2018-2019 winter season.  A live webcast will be available for the meeting.  For details, see notice or FERC website.

UPCOMING ISO-NE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Registration is open for ISO New England’s fall 2018 market training classes and webinars. Link to full calendar.

CONNECTICUT

REGULATORS BACK MILLSTONE ASSERTION OF ‘AT RISK’ STATUS
Millstone Power Station’s push for a competitive edge in the state’s zero carbon electricity auction recently gained a boost from regulators and a consumer advocacy agency, who backed Dominion Energy’s assertion that the nuclear plant could face premature closure. Link to article.

ZERO CARBON RFP
DEEP has received more than 100 bids for solar, wind, hydro and nuclear facilities in the Zero Carbon RFP. Evaluation will take several months, and DEEP is expected to announce selection of winners in Winter 2018/2019. Link to article.

RECENT PURA DOCKETS
On September 19, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 08-09-14RE02:  Application of Discount Power, Inc. for an Electric Supplier License – Investigation Into Marketing 

CPES Policy Committee Update: September 11, 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:

  • ISO-NE’s Update on Labor Day Power System Conditions
  • ISO-NE Files Proposal To Retain Retiring Resources for Fuel Security
  • ISO-NE launches a redesigned Ask ISO
  • PURA Docket No. 18-08-33:  Proceeding to Establish Section 7 of Public Act 18-50, Procurement Plans and Related Tariffs and Other Issues

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

ISO-NE’s UPDATE ON LABOR DAY POWER SYSTEM CONDITIONS
On Monday, September 3rd, weather and resource outages led to capacity shortage conditions in the region.  For more information on this event, see ISO’s website which provides details on the day’s forecast and demand, outages, and prices.

ISO-NE FILES PROPOSAL TO RETAIN RETIRING RESOURCES FOR FUEL SECURITY
In the end of August, ISO-NE filed a proposal with FERC to retain resources seeking retirement on the basis of a fuel-security reliability need. ISO now begins stakeholder discussions to develop a market-based mechanism to address long-term fuel-security challenges facing the region. For background, read ISO’s update on ISO-NE’s operational fuel security initiatives.

ISO-NE LAUNCHES A REDESIGNED ASK ISO 
ISO New England recently updated its customer issue management application, Ask ISO, to enhance interactions with customers and other stakeholders and support business continuity requirements. For more details on the redesigned tool and upgrades, see ISO’s Customer Contact Center Solution (CCCS) Key Project webpage and the updated customer user guide.

CONNECTICUT
On August 31, 2018, PURA established the following Docket No. 18-08-33:  Proceeding to Establish Section 7 of Public Act 18-50, Procurement Plans and Related Tariffs and Other Issues 

 

 

CPES Policy Committee Update: September 5, 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:

  • New England Governors Issue Statement on Regional Energy Affordability 
  • Speakers Announced for Fall CLG Meeting in Windsor Locks

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

NEW ENGLAND GOVERNORS ISSUE STATEMENT ON REGIONAL ENERGY AFFORDABILITY 
On August 13, Governors Dannel Malloy of Connecticut, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, and Phil Scott of Vermont issued a statement on regional energy affordability and reliability in New England.  Read a summary of that statement on ISO-NE’s website: http://isonewswire.com/updates/2018/8/31/new-england-governors-issue-statement-on-regional-energy-aff.html 

SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED FOR FALL CLG MEETING IN WINDSOR LOCKS
The next meeting of the Consumer Liaison Group (CLG) will be held September 20 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Hartford-Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, CT. The topic will be the electrification of the heating sector and the choices available to consumers. The panelists include Christian Herb, President, Connecticut Energy Marketers Association and Emily Lewis O’Brien, Policy Analyst, Acadia Center. Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

The CLG is a forum for the exchange of information between ISO New England and electricity consumers in New England. CLG quarterly meetings are generally attended by consumers and consumer representatives (including state consumer and ratepayer advocates), state business and industry associations, chambers of commerce, individual businesses, trade groups, nonprofit organizations, and other end users. Meetings are free and open to the public, but advanced registration is required.

CPES Policy Committee Update: August 28, 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:

  • EPA Proposal to Replace the Clean Power Plan
  • Federal Hearing Explores Energy Sector Application of Blockchain
  • ISO New England Updates Battery Storage Projections  

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

EPA PROPOSAL TO REPLACE THE CLEAN POWER PLAN
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released its plan to replace 2015’s Clean Power Plan . The plan is subject to a 60-day comment period.   To read the proposal, visit EPA’s website.

FEDERAL HEARING EXPLORES ENERGY SECTOR APPLICATION OF BLOCKCHAIN
The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources held a hearing on August 21st, Energy Efficiency of Blockchain and Similar Technologies, to discuss the energy efficiency of blockchain and similar technologies and the cybersecurity possibilities of such technologies for energy industry applications.   The recorded webcast and witness testimonies are archived on the committee’s webpage. 

ISO NEW ENGLAND UPDATES BATTERY STORAGE PROJECTIONS   
Grid-scale (also called utility-scale) battery storage is coming on fast in New England, according to ISO-NE.  By 2022, currently proposed new projects could add almost 850 MW of battery storage capacity in the region- an increase of 4,000% from the 19 MW currently on line.  To learn more about state efforts spurring storage resources, the different technologies, and how they participate in ISO’s markets, visit ISO’s webpage. 

CONNECTICUT

PURA HEARING ON MILLSTONE “AT-RISK” DETERMINIATION
On Wednesday, August 29th at 10:00 a.m., PURA will hold a hearing to review Dominion’s petition to be deemed an “existing resource confirmed at risk”, for purposes of the DEEP RFP.  More information is available in the Notice of Hearing.

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS IN PURA’s GRID MODERNIZATION DOCKET 
Comments are due August 22nd to PURA under Docket #17-12-03 “PURA Investigation into Distribution System Planning of the Electric Distribution Companies.  The request for written comment poses a series of questions regarding distributed energy resources, electrification, and distribution system planning that PURA is seeking public input on. 

PURA DOCKET NO. 18-08-14: REVIEW OF THE COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PROJECT SOLICITATION  
On August 7, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 18-08-14: PURA Review of the Combined Heat and Power Project Solicitation Pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. §16-258e