Category Archives: Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES)

CPES Policy Committee Update: April 17, 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:

  • Wrap-up from the March Consumer Liaison Group (CLG) Meeting       
  • 2018 Legislative Session Information

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

WRAP-UP FROM THE MARCH CONSUMER LIAISON GROUP (CLG) MEETING          
Materials from the March 1, 2018 Consumer Liaison Group meeting are now available on ISO New England’s website. The CLG meets four times a year. Meetings are open to the public and include:

  • Remarks from a guest speaker—typically, an industry or business executive, policymaker or regulator—who provides a unique perspective on a particular topic or issue
  • A panel discussion often representing industry, the ISO, regulators, and consumer perspectives
  • An update from the ISO on regional energy issues and initiatives that have or will be taking place at New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) and ISO stakeholder meetings that can have an impact on electricity prices 

At the March meeting, CLG members heard from Commissioner Michael Giaimo from the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission and a panel on the evolution of the region’s wholesale electricity markets.  Anne George, Vice President of External Affairs and Corporate Communications for ISO New England, provided an update on the ISO’s Operational Fuel-Security Analysis, the final results of Forward Capacity Auction #12, and preliminary wholesale electricity costs for 2017.  

CLG 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.  Dates for the remaining 2018 meetings are posted online.

CONNECTICUT
The 2018 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly convened on February 7, 2018 and will adjourn on May 9, 2018.  General information about the Energy and Technology Committee is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

CPES Policy Committee Update: April 10, 2017

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 New England’s Draft Load Forecast Indicates Energy Usage and Peak Demand Will Decline Slightly Over the Next 10 Years
  • Wind, Fuel Cell Developers Pitch Over Two Dozen Projects
  • Regional Transmission Investment: Spring 2018 Update
  • Doosan GridTech Wins Deal for Energy Storage System
  • Connecticut Kicks off Grid Modernization Effort
  • PURA dockets established on March 28, 2018
  • March 29, 2018 Energy & Technology Committee Meeting Minutes

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

ISO NEW ENGLAND’S DRAFT LOAD FORECAST INDICATES ENERGY USAGE AND PEAK DEMAND WILL DECLINE SLIGHTLY OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS
The primary factors are continuing installation of energy-efficiency measures and behind-the-meter photovoltaic (BTM PV) arrays throughout the region. ISO NE’s long-term forecast for electricity use is developed each year using state and regional economic forecasts, 40 years of weather history in New England, federal appliance efficiency standards, the results of both the ISO’s energy-efficiency (EE) forecast and solar photovoltaic (PV) forecast, and other factors. Learn more at ISO’s website.

WIND, FUEL CELL DEVELOPERS PITCH OVER TWO DOZEN PROJECTS
DEEP received 27 bids this week in response to a competitive RFP that seeks to select potentially hundreds of thousands of megawatt hours of clean and renewable energy. Hartford Business Journal Article

REGIONAL TRANSMISSION INVESTMENT: SPRING 2018 UPDATE
ISO New England recently published the March 2018 update to the Regional System Plan (RSP) Project List, which details Pool Transmission Facility (PTF) projects needed to ensure reliability in New England. Since the October 2017 update, 22 upgrades were placed in service and no new projects were added. Since 2002, a cumulative total of 768 project components representing an investment of $10.4 billion have been placed into service to help ensure that New England’s transmission system continues to reliably and efficiently move wholesale electricity across the region. See the RSP update presentation at ISO’s website.

DOOSAN GRIDTECH WINS DEAL FOR ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM
Doosan GridTech Inc., a major provider of utility-integrated energy storage solutions, has won a deal to install an energy storage system for American energy provider Consumers Energy. Read the article

CONNECTICUT

CONNECTICUT KICKS OFF GRID MODERNIZATION EFFORT
Utility representatives and other stakeholders shared their views on evolving cost drivers, changing customer demand and new technologies at the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s first-ever technical conference on grid modernization.

PURA DOCKETS ESTABLISHED ON MARCH 28, 2018

  • Docket No. 14-07-19RE05:  PURA Investigation Into Redesign of the Residential Electric Billing Format – Review of Summary Information, Implementation and Display 
  • Docket No. 14-07-19RE04:  PURA Investigation into Redesign of the Residential Electric Billing Format – Next Rate Information 
  • Docket No. 06-12-07RE08:  Application of Liberty Power Holdings, LLC for an Electric Supplier License – Remand – Reopening

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The 2018 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly convened on February 7, 2018.  General information about the Energy and Technology Committee is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/

  • The Energy and Technology Committee held a committee meeting on March 29, 2018.  The meeting minutes are available here.  
 

 

 

 

CPES Policy Committee Update: April 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:

  • Mass. 83D Selection Update
  • Press Release from Governor Malloy on Tailpipe Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards
  • The Energy & Technology Committee held their final committee meeting on March 29.

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

MASS. 83D SELECTION UPDATE
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources moves forward with New England Clean Energy Connect 100% Hydro project (NECEC Hydro) under the Commonwealth’s Section 83D clean energy Request for Proposal.  The NECEC project proposed by Central Maine Power Company is a $950 million joint bid with Hydro-Quebec to deliver renewable energy from Quebec and includes a 145-mile transmission line linking the electric grids in Quebec and New England and adding 1,200 MW of transmission capacity to the New England region. The Northern Pass Transmission project was originally selected in January, but failed to win approval from the New Hampshire Site Evaluation committee by the March 27, 2018 deadline.

CONNECTICUT

GOVERNOR MALLOY PRESS RELEASE
Gov. Malloy and Commissioner Klee Blast Trump Administration Decision to Weaken Tailpipe Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards

2018 CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The 2018 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly convened on February 7, 2018 and will adjourn on May 9, 2018.  General information about the Energy and Technology Committee is available here.

  • The Energy and Technology Committee held their final committee meeting on March 29, 2018. 

CPES Policy Committe Update: March 27, 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 New England Video Presentation: Demand Resources: Energy Market Offers & Asset Management
  • PURA Dockets Released on March 20
  • Meeting Minutes from the Energy & Technology Committee Meeting on March 20
  • Energy & Technology Committee Meeting on March 29 at 10:00AM in Room 1D

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

DEMAND RESOURCES: ENERGY MARKET OFFERS & ASSET MANAGEMENT
This ISO New England video presentation provides a demonstration of tasks in eMarket and in the Customer Asset Management System (CAMS) that demand resource operators will need to perform on a regular basis with the implementation of the Price-Responsive Demand project on June 1, 2018 (48 minutes; chapter markers in the video description that you can use to jump to any section).

CONNECTICUT
On March 20, 2018, PURA established the following dockets:

  • Docket No. 18-03-28:  2018 PURA Report to the General Assembly Concerning Lost and Unaccounted for Gas 
  • Docket No. 18-03-29:  2018 PURA Review of Connecticut Public Service Company Plans for Restoration of Service that is Interrupted as Result of an Emergency 
  • Docket No. 18-03-32:  Review of the 2017 System Expansion Reconciliation Mechanisms Filed By: Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation, The Southern Connecticut Gas Company and Yankee Gas Services Company 

2018 CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The 2018 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly convened on February 7, 2018 and will adjourn on May 9, 2018.  General information about the Energy and Technology Committee is available here.

  • The Energy and Technology Committee held a committee meeting on March 20, 2018.  Meeting Minutes   
  • The Energy and Technology Committee will hold a committee meeting on March 29, 2018 in Room 1D to review bills. 

CPES Policy Committee Update: March 19, 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:

  • FERC Issues Order Accepting ISO-NE’s CASPR Revisions
  • ISO-NE’s Grid Resilience Filing with FERC
  • ISO New England Market Training
  • New England’s Wholesale Electricity Prices in 2017 were the Second-Lowest Since 2003
  • The Energy and Technology Committee will hold a public hearing on March 20.

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

FERC ISSUES ORDER ACCEPTING ISO-NE’s CASPR REVISIONS
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) issued an order late Friday, March 9, 2018 accepting the Competitive Auctions with Sponsored Policy Resources (“CASPR”) filing. FERC concludes that the CASPR proposal is consistent with the primary principles of capacity markets and appropriately addresses the potential of resources receiving out-of-market state revenues to undermine these principles. The Commission notes that out-of-market state revenues can result in building more capacity than a region needs, overpayment by consumers for capacity, inefficiently low capacity market prices and the erosion of investor confidence. The Commission concludes that the CASPR proposal, along with the New England region’s minimum offer price rules (MOPR), appropriately addresses the issues associated with out-of-market state revenues while ensuring that the overall capacity market can continue to attract and maintain appropriate levels of new resource investment. For more details, read the order here.  To learn more, view the CASPR project page on ISO New England’s website.

ISO-NE’s GRID RESILIENCE FILING WITH FERC
ISO New England filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission its response to the January 8, 2018 Order Terminating Rulemaking Proceeding, Initiating New Proceeding, and Establishing Additional Procedures in Docket No. AD18-7. The ISO’s response focuses on the most significant challenge for the New England bulk power system’s resilience – fuel security.  In its response, the ISO requests the Commission afford the ISO time to work with regional stakeholders to develop a long-term solution to the fuel-security challenges facing the region. 

ISO NEW ENGLAND MARKET TRAINING
ISO New England released two new video trainings available online:

  • Pay-for-Performance Introduction – A short introduction to the new pay-for-performance (PFP) incentive program effective as of June 1, 2018 (7 minutes).
  • Pay-for-Performance Overview and Settlement – An overview of the Forward Capacity Market performance incentives known as pay for performance.  It explains what triggers the incentives and shows how performance payments are calculated.  It also includes information on settlements reports that have changed or are new for pay for performance (20 minutes, includes the seven-minute Pay-for-Performance Introduction video.)

NEW ENGLAND’S WHOLESALE ELECTRICITY PRICES IN 2017 WERE THE SECOND-LOWEST SINCE 2003
New England’s wholesale electricity prices in 2017 were the second-lowest in 15 years, following 2016, which holds the record for the lowest average annual price since 2003, according to ISO New England.  Get more details from ISO’s press release here.

2018 CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE SESSION
The 2018 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly convened on February 7, 2018.  General information about the Energy and Technology Committee is available here.

  • The Energy and Technology Committee will hold a committee meeting on March 20, 2018 to review bills.  The meeting agenda is available here.