Category Archives: ISO-NE

CPES Policy Committee Update: September 27, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. 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 Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • New England Wholesale Electric Prices and Demand – August 2016
  • Looking Ahead to the Next Legislative Session – Schedules and Key Links

 

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

A Look at Wholesale Electricity Prices and Demand in New England: August 2016

August’s average monthly power price of $40.19 per megawatt-hour (MWh) was up 13.7% from the August 2015 average price of $35.35/MWh and 37% higher than the July 2016 average price of $29.33/MWh. The month included some very hot and humid weather that drove up air conditioning use, which drove up demand for power by 3% over the month as a whole. The highest level for demand so far this year occurred on August 12, during a heat wave, when demand peaked at 25,521 MW. The day before, on August 11, shortage conditions developed – meaning the region was short of the required level of reserves – on the regional power system when several generators tripped offline, causing real-time prices to spike and requiring implementation of special operating procedures, including dispatch of demand-response resources in all of New England except Maine. The ISO New England control room maintained reliable power system operations throughout the day.

For more information, visit the ISO Newswire.

 

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

The 2016 Connecticut regular session ended on May 4, 2016.  The 2017 Connecticut regular session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

 

MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATION:

The 2015-2016 Massachusetts formal session ended on July 31, 2016.  The 2017-2018 Massachusetts session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, including hearings and bills in committee, is available at: https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J37.

 

CPES Policy Committee Update: September 19, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. 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 Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • PURA re-opens the Residential Billing Docket and Eversource seeks to reopen docket on interconnection guidelines.
  • ISO-NE Completes Study on Wind Resources
  • Looking Ahead to the Next Legislative Session – Schedules and Key Links

 

CONNECTICUT REGULATORY

PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY NEW DOCKETS:

On September 14, 2016, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority initiated the following proceeding, which may be of interest to you:

  • Docket No. 14-07-19RE02:  PURA Investigation into Redesign of the Residential Electric Billing Format – Incidental Residential Accounts and Summary Information

Also, on September 8, 2016, Eversource filed a motion to reopen Docket No. 03-01-15 DPUC Investigation into the Need For Interconnection Standards for Distributed Generation, seeking  PURA approval of new interconnection guidelines for small (sub 20kW) generation systems. Eversource’s motion and the proposed interconnection standards are available here.

 

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

ISO New England Completes Studies on the Economic Impacts of Adding More Wind Resources to the Grid

ISO New England recently completed three studies requested by regional stakeholders in 2015. The studies focus on the economic impacts of adding more wind resources to the regional power system under a variety of hypothetical scenarios. The studies looked at:

  • The potential economic effects of developing offshore wind
  • Upgrading transmission at three interfaces in Maine to remove potential bottlenecks and enable the development of more onshore wind and imports from New Brunswick, Canada
  • Easing a transmission bottleneck farther north in the Keene Road area of Maine to enable increasing wind development in the local area

The final results of the studies are available on the ISO’s Planning Advisory Committee webpage.  For more information, visit the ISO Newswire.

 

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

The 2016 Connecticut regular session ended on May 4, 2016.  The 2017 Connecticut regular session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

 

MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATION:

The 2015-2016 Massachusetts formal session ended on July 31, 2016.  The 2017-2018 Massachusetts session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, including hearings and bills in committee, is available at: https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J37.

CPES Policy Committee Update: September 15, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. 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 Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • ISO NE’s Hybrid Grid
  • National Grid’s smart grid pilot in MA
  • Looking Ahead to the Next Legislative Session – Schedules and Key Links

 

Regional and Industry Developments

ISO New England Publishes Summary of Its Efforts to Prepare for the ‘Hybrid Grid’

This week, ISO New England published Getting Ready for the Hybrid Grid, a two-page summary of the ISO’s efforts to facilitate New England’s transition to a smarter, greener grid. The handout describes how the ISO is breaking new ground in the areas of forecasting and dispatch of renewable resources and other new technologies; high-speed cloud computing for analyzing vast, complex data; and protecting against cyber threats.

For more information, visit the ISO Newswire.

 

VIDEO: National Grid seeks to extend smart grid pilot in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Electric Co. and National Grid, in an Aug. 30 filing submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, said that it is seeking to extend its Smart Energy Solutions Program until Dec. 31, 2018.

The company noted that it is currently conducting a two-year smart grid pilot under the Green Communities Act, Section 85 of Chapter 169 of the Acts of 2008, and the DPU’s August 2012 order, which approved the company’s pilot proposal, with certain modifications.

The pilot’s smart pricing, bill protection and demand response capabilities went into effect for participating customers on Jan. 1, 2015, the company said, noting that the pilot is scheduled to end on Dec. 31.

http://www.elp.com/articles/2016/09/national-grid-seeks-to-extend-smart-grid-pilot-in-massachusetts.html

 

Legislative Affairs

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

The 2016 Connecticut regular session ended on May 4, 2016.  The 2017 Connecticut regular session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

 

MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATION:

The 2015-2016 Massachusetts formal session ended on July 31, 2016.  The 2017-2018 Massachusetts session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, including hearings and bills in committee, is available at: https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J37

CPES Policy Committee Update: August 30, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. 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 Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • Connecticut DEEP Finalizes RFP for Grid-Side System Enhancements Demonstration Projects
  • New England Consumer Liaison Group Will Discuss Energy Infrastructure Projects Progressing in Rhode Island at Next Meeting

 

Connecticut Policy/Regulatory Update

Connecticut DEEP Finalizes RFP for Grid-Side System Enhancements Demonstration Projects

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has issued a Final Request for Proposals (RFP) for Grid-Side System Enhancements Demonstration Projects pursuant to Public Act No. 15-5, Section 103. The Final RFP directs the state’s electric distribution companies to refine the proposal concepts submitted earlier this year into a final Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Integration Plan to be submitted to DEEP and then to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority for review. The Final RFP is available here.

 

Regional and Industry Developments

New England Consumer Liaison Group Will Discuss Energy Infrastructure Projects Progressing in Rhode Island at Next Meeting

The next New England Consumer Liaison Group (CLG) meeting will be held at the Marriott Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island on September 15, 2016. The meeting will focus on Energy Infrastructure Projects Progressing in Rhode Island: Challenges and Consumer Impacts Regionwide. Attendees will hear from panelists Jeffrey Grybowski, CEO of Deepwater Wind, John Niland, Director of Development for Invenergy, Richard Kruse, Vice President of Regulatory and FERC Compliance Officer for Spectra Energy, and a representative from National Grid.

The CLG is a forum for sharing information between ISO New England and electricity consumers in New England. The CLG meets quarterly and attracts a diverse group of 75-100 attendees at each meeting. Meetings are free and open to the public. Participants generally include 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. Several New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) members and state regulators are also regular, active participants in CLG discussions. The focus of the CLG is on the concerns and needs of commercial, industrial, and nonprofit electricity end users.

For more information and to register for the September 15 meeting, visit the Consumer Liaison Group webpage.

 

Legislative Affairs

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

The 2016 Connecticut regular session ended on May 4, 2016.  The 2017 Connecticut regular session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/.

 

MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATION:

The 2015-2016 Massachusetts formal session ended on July 31, 2016.  The 2017-2018 Massachusetts session begins January 4, 2017.

Information about the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, including hearings and bills in committee, is available at: https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J37.

CPES Policy Committee Update: August 2, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. 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 Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • Clean Energy RFP Bid Process
  • ISO New England Announces Educational Courses

Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

Clean Energy RFP Bid Selection Process

On July 25, 2016 the three-state Clean Energy RFP provided notice via the Clean Energy RFP website that additional time would be required for bid selection. Under the RFP, bid selection was scheduled to be completed by July 26, 2016. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island are participants in the RFP. No alternative timetable for bid selection has been identified, however, winning bidders will be notified. Final results of the RFP will be announced to the public when executed contracts are filed for regulatory review. More information is available at the following link: https://cleanenergyrfp.com/2016/07/25/evaluation-ongoing/

Regional and Industry Developments

Plan ahead! Registration Now Open for Fall ISO New England Training Courses

ISO New England offers a variety of training opportunities to help market participants, public officials, and other stakeholders understand the ISO’s various responsibilities and services, as well as the rules, standards, procedures, and software related to participation in the region’s wholesale electricity markets and power system. The ISO is offering three customer courses during the fall 2016 curriculum, including:

  • Introduction to Wholesale Electricity Markets (WEM 101), September 26-30, 2016
  • Forward Capacity Market (FCM 101), October 17-20, 2016
  • Intermediate Wholesale Electricity Markets (WEM 201), November 1-3, 2016

For more information on these training sessions, visit the ISO Newswire.