Category Archives: Forward Capacity Market

CPES Policy Committee Update: February 11, 2020

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 Committee or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.

In this Update:

  • Governor Lamont Highlights Climate Change in Legislative Proposals
  • DEEP Announces 3/16 Technical Meeting on Thermal Energy in Renewable Portfolio Standard            
  • 2/11 Energy & Technology Committee Meeting
  • Upcoming Regulatory Meetings
  • ISO-NE’s 2020 Wholesale Market Project Plan Now Available
  • New England’s Forward Capacity Auction Closes with Adequate Power System Resources for 2023-2024
  • Next Consumer Liaison Group Meeting March 12, Woodstock VT

CONNECTICUT

Governor Lamont Highlights Climate Change in Legislative Proposals
On February 5th, Governor Ned Lamont delivered his legislative proposals to lawmakers, including a proposal that recognizes the threat of climate change and takes proactive measures to mitigate it. SB 10

DEEP Announces Technical Meeting on Thermal Energy in Renewable Portfolio Standard            
On March 16, DEEP will hold a technical meeting to discuss the incorporation of recommendations regarding a renewable portfolio standard for thermal energy into the Integrated Resources Plan.  See the notice here.

2020 Legislative Session
The 2020 Legislative Session convened on February 5th. 
The Energy & Technology Committee will hold their first Committee Meeting on Tuesday. February 11th at 11:30am in Rm 1D of the LOB. 
2020 DEEP Legislative Proposals

Upcoming Regulatory Meetings
For more information on regulatory matters, see the current PURA and Siting Council agendas. This information is updated regularly.

INDUSTRY

ISO-NE’s 2020 Wholesale Market Project Plan Now Available
The 2020 plan describes the current status of ISO market initiatives. The work plan is published biannually in summer and winter and allows readers to follow the progress of market projects.

New England’s Forward Capacity Auction Closes with Adequate Power System Resources for 2023-2024
New England’s annual capacity auction for power system resources concluded Monday with sufficient resources to meet peak demand in 2023-2024, and preliminary results indicate the clearing price was the lowest in the auction’s history.  Read ISO-NE’s press release here.

Next Consumer Liaison Group Meeting March 12, Woodstock VT
The next meeting of the Consumer Liaison Group (CLG) will take place on March 12 at the Woodstock Inn & Resort in Vermont. The keynote speakers are Chad Farrell, Founder & CEO, Encore Renewable Energy, and Salvatore Minopoli, Vice President, Highview Power. The panel discussion will focus on lessons learned from Vermont’s energy transformation standard. The meeting will also include a presentation from ISO New England. For more information, visit the CLG webpage.

CPES Policy Committee Update: February 4, 2020

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 Committee or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.

In this Update:

  • Sen. Chris Murphy demands utilities ‘take responsibility’ for protecting eligible low-income families from utility shut-offs
  • DEEP/PURA Value of DER Joint Study – New Date Technical Hearing
  • DEEP/PURA Accepting Comments on Value of DER Joint Study
  • ISO Announces Feb 2020 Forward Capacity Market Webinars
  • Listing of Upcoming Regulatory Meetings
  • New England AGs Call Out Power Grid Operator Over Anti-Competitive Practices
  • US EIA Release 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
  • 2019 Sources of Electric Energy in New England

CONNECTICUT

Sen. Chris Murphy demands utilities ‘take responsibility’ for protecting eligible low-income families from utility shut-offs: Hartford Courant
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy told regulators Thursday he doesn’t believe Connecticut’s power companies are complying with an order to insulate thousands of low-income families from utility disconnections during the annual, six-month-long winter protection period — an established program that prohibits disconnections from November to May. Senator Murphy’s letter was filed as part of PURA’s Energy Affordability Grid Modernization Docket (17-12-03RE01).

DEEP/PURA Value of DER Joint Study – New Date Technical Hearing
The agencies have revised the date of the next technical hearing to February 7.  See the notice here and draft agenda here.

DEEP/PURA Accepting Comments on Value of DER Joint Study
The agencies are seeking comment on modeling inputs by February 14, 2020. See the notice here.

ISO Announces Feb 2020 Forward Capacity Market Webinars
ISO Customer Training is hosting three webinars in February on the forward capacity markets:

2020 Legislative Session
The 2020 Legislative Session will convene on Wednesday, February 5th. 
2020 DEEP Legislative Proposals

Upcoming Regulatory Meetings
For more information on regulatory matters, see the current PURA and Siting Council agendas. This information is updated regularly.

INDUSTRY

New England AGs Call Out Power Grid Operator Over Anti-Competitive Practices: WSHU – As part of FERC Docket EL19-90, The Connecticut and Massachusetts Attorneys General filed joint comments with DEEP, OCC and Maine Public Advocate in support of tariff changes to implement a more competitive transmission process. PURA also separately filed comments.

US EIA Release 2020 Annual Energy Outlook
For the first time, the EIA predicts renewables will outpace natural gas by 2050. Read the press release here, and the full report here.

2019 Sources of Electric Energy in New England
The total amount of energy and the sources of energy the New England region used in 2019 to satisfy all residential, commercial, and industrial customer demand are now available on ISO-NE’s website.

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: June 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:

  • Connecticut Selects Over 250 MW of Renewable Energy Projects 
  • Green Bank Launches Pilot Program for New Construction
  • Summary of 2018 Energy Legislation
  • “Pay-for-performance” capacity market incentives implemented as of June 1, 2018

CONNECTICUT

CONNECTICUT SELECTS OVER 250 MW OF RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS  
Last week, as part of DEEP’s recent Clean Energy Request for Proposals, week the state selected over 250 MW of clean and renewable energy projects. The projects include the state’s first procurement of offshore wind, in addition to multiple fuel cell projects and a new anaerobic digestion facility.  For more information on the projects, see DEEP’s press release.

GREEN BANK LAUNCHES PILOT PROGRAM FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION
On Friday, the Green Bank announced a two-year pilot program that will broaden the use of its popular Commercial and Industrial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program to those designing and constructing new buildings, as well as major redevelopments. New commercial and industrial buildings designed and built to exceed what is required by Connecticut building and energy codes will be eligible to receive C-PACE financing for a portion of their overall eligible construction cost. C-PACE New Construction can be applied for a wide range of property types, including major redevelopment of existing and historic sites. The funding can be used to pay for expenses related to engineering, design and energy modeling as well as HVAC, elevators, clean energy generation, among other costs. Read more in the Green Bank’s press release.

SUMMARY OF 2018 ENERGY LEGISLATION
Earlier this month the CT Office of Legislative Research released their annual report on “Acts Affecting Energy and Utilities” summarizing laws passed during the 2018 regular legislative session affecting energy and utilities.

“PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE” CAPACITY MARKET INCENTIVES IMPLEMENTED AS OF JUNE 1, 2018
“Pay-for-performance” (PFP)—a cornerstone of ISO New England’s ongoing, multi-faceted effort to address trends that are challenging power system reliability—became effective on June 1, 2018. PFP is part of New England’s Forward Capacity Market (FCM) design, which acquires obligations from resources needed to meet demand three years into the future. 

CPES Policy Committee Update: May 1, 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’s State of the Markets Report 2017
  • ISO New England Winter Recap
  • Setting Regional Solar and Wind Power Records in New England
  • FERC Issues Letter Accepting the Results of the 12th Forward Capacity Auction
  • Docket No. 18-04-25: PURA Investigation Regarding Issues Related to Uncollectible Accounts and Docket No. 10-06-18RE02: Application of Spark Energy, L.P. for an Electric Supplier License – Investigation Into Marketing 

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

FERC’S STATE OF THE MARKETS REPORT 2017
FERC’s Office of Enforcement’s Division of Energy Market Oversight published their annual assessment of natural gas, electric, and other energy markets developments during the past year.  The Commission’s accompanying presentation is always available on their website.

ISO NEW ENGLAND WINTER RECAP
ISO New England published a recap of the 2017/2018 winter conditions, describing the effect of the historic cold snap in the final week of December and first week of January. For more on how these cold weather conditions impacted grid operations, see ISO-NE’s analysis.

SETTING REGIONAL SOLAR AND WIND POWER RECORDS IN NEW ENGLAND
Over 130,000 solar power installations now span the six New England states, totaling about 2,400 MW (nameplate)—over 5,800 MW are expected by 2027. Almost all this solar power is connected to local distribution utilities or “behind the meter” (BTM) directly at retail customer sites. On April 9, a cool, cloudless day across New England, BTM solar power set a new regional record. Wind, energy-efficiency measures and storage are also contributing to the changing grid, reducing  the region’s emissions. Learn more at ISO-New England’s website.

FERC ISSUES LETTER ACCEPTING THE RESULTS OF THE 12TH FORWARD CAPACITY AUCTION
FERC issued a letter order accepting ISO New England’s filing of the results of the twelfth Forward Capacity Auction, held on February 5-6, 2018 for the June 1, 2021 through May 31, 2022 Capacity Commitment Period. The document has been posted to the ISO’s website. 

CONNECTICUT

RECENT PURA DOCKETS
On April 26, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 18-04-25:  PURA Investigation Regarding Issues Related to Uncollectible Accounts 

On April 25, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 10-06-18RE02:  Application of Spark Energy, L.P. for an Electric Supplier License – Investigation Into Marketing 

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 at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et