Category Archives: Policy Committee Update

CPES Policy Committee Update: February 21, 2017

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 Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • Consumer Liaison Group Meeting will Focus on the Role of Nuclear Power in New England
  • The Energy and Technology Committee will hold a public hearing at 1:00 PM on February 21, 2017

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

Consumer Liaison Group Meeting Will Focus on the Role of Nuclear Power in New England

The first quarterly meeting of the New England Consumer Liaison Group (CLG) for 2017 will be held on March 2, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westborough, Massachusetts. The meeting will focus on the role of nuclear power in New England, particularly its impacts on reliability, carbon reduction, and market prices. The meeting will feature Tracy Babbidge, Bureau Chief for the Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) as the keynote speaker.

Panelists will include:

  • Kevin Hennessy, State Policy Director – New England, Dominion Resources, Inc.
  • William Berg, Vice President of Wholesale Market Development, Exelon Corporation
  • Peter Fuller, Vice President of Market and Regulatory Affairs, NRG Energy
  • Dr. Gilbert Brown, Emeritus Professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell

To register for the meeting, visit the Consumer Liaison Group webpage on the ISO New England website.

 CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

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

On February 21, 2017, the Energy and Technology Committee will hold a public hearing at 1:00 PM.  The agenda is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/etdata/pha/2017PHA00221-R001300ET-PHA.htm

CPES does not take a position on these legislative proposals; this is provided for informational purposes only to CPES members.

CPES Policy Committee Update: February 13, 2017

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 Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org

This week’s features:

  • ISO New England Issues Preliminary Results of Forward Capacity Auction #11

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

ISO New England Issues Preliminary Results of Forward Capacity Auction #11

New England’s eleventh Forward Capacity Market auction (FCA #11) concluded with sufficient resources to meet demand for electricity in the 2020-2021 time frame, closing at a preliminary, system-wide clearing price of $5.30 per kilowatt-month (kW-month). The auction concluded with commitments from 35,835 MW of capacity resources. No major generators retired in FCA #11 and no new large-scale generators cleared in the auction, but 640 megawatts (MW) of new energy-efficiency and demand-reduction measures—the equivalent of a large power plant—cleared and will be available in 2020-2021. ISO New England plans to file the results of the auction with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) later this month.

For more information, see ISO New England’s FCA #11 initial press release: https://www.iso-ne.com/static-assets/documents/2017/02/20170209_FCA11_initial_pr.pdf.  


CPES does not take a position on these legislative proposals; this is provided for informational purposes only to CPES members.

CPES Policy Committee Update: February 6, 2017

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 Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org

This week’s features:

  • ISO New England Conducts Eleventh Forward Capacity Market Auction
  • Three New Public Utilities Proceedings of Interest
  • The Agenda for the Energy and Technology Committee Public Hearing on February 7th

 REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

ISO New England Conducts Eleventh Forward Capacity Market Auction
On February 6, 2017, ISO New England conducted the eleventh Forward Capacity Auction (FCA #11) to procure the capacity resources needed to meet the demand for electricity during the 2020/2021 capacity commitment period. Results of the auction will be announced via press release on ISO New England’s Press Releases web page. Further details are available on ISO New England’s Forward Capacity Market web page.

PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY NEW DOCKETS:

On January 30, 2017, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority initiated the following proceeding, which may be of interest to you: 

On February 1, 2017, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority initiated the following proceedings, which may be of interest to you: 

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

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

On February 7, 2017, the Energy and Technology Committee will hold a public hearing at 1:00 PM.  The agenda is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/etdata/pha/2017PHA00207-R001300ET-PHA.htm

CPES does not take a position on these legislative proposals; this is provided for informational purposes only to CPES members.

CPES Policy Committee Update: January 20, 2017

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 Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org

This week’s features:

  • FERC Accepts Capacity Requirements for Eleventh Forward Capacity Auction
  • ISO New England Update on 2016/2017 Winter Reliability Program to Augment Fuel Adequacy in New England
  • The Energy and Technology Committee to Hold Meeting on “A Stakeholders Status Report on Connecticut Energy,”
  • Connecticut Legislation Provides Five Bills of Interest

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

FERC Accepts Capacity Requirements for Eleventh Forward Capacity Auction
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has accepted ISO New England’s proposed Installed Capacity Requirement (ICR) values to be used in the 11th Forward Capacity Market auction (FCA #11), which commences February 6, 2017. The ICR used in the development of the system-wide and zonal demand curves for FCA #11 is 34,075 megawatts (MW).

This year’s ICR calculations continue to account for the demand-reducing effects of behind-the-meter solar photovoltaic (PV) resources. Using the ISO’s long-term forecast of growth in PV resources, the amount of capacity required in 2020/2021 was reduced by 720 MW.

For more information, visit the ISO Newswire.

ISO New England Update on 2016/2017 Winter Reliability Program
For the fourth year in a row, a winter reliability program is in effect to help augment fuel adequacy in New England. In September 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a program for the winters of 2015/2016 to 2017/2018 to address seasonal reliability challenges created by constraints on New England’s interstate natural gas pipeline system. The previous programs proved to be cost-effective, short-term solutions to help keep the lights on in New England during very cold winter days.

For information on participation in this year’s program, visit the ISO Newswire.


CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

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

The Energy and Technology Committee will hold an informational meeting regarding “A Stakeholders Status Report on Connecticut Energy,” on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at 1:00 P.M. Room 1D of the LOB.  https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/CGABulletin/Bulletin.asp

 

The following proposed bills may be of interest to our membership:

  • H.B. 5853: AN ACT CONCERNING ELIMINATING OR RAISING THE VIRTUAL NET METERING CAP.  To encourage expansion of renewable energy projects.
  • S.B. 271: AN ACT CONCERNING MANUFACTURING FACILITIES AND INTERRUPTIBLE NATURAL GAS SERVICE.  To allow certain manufacturing facilities to utilize interruptible natural gas service without a backup fuel.
  • S.B. 372: AN ACT REPEALING CERTAIN ENERGY SOLICITATIONS.  To repeal section 16a-3j regarding certain energy solicitations.
  • S.B. 412: AN ACT RESTRICTING THE USE OF INCENTIVES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR ARRAYS ON AGRICULTURAL LAND.  To restrict the use of incentives for the development of solar arrays on agricultural land to protect farmland against large-scale solar development.
  • S.B. 413: AN ACT MAKING MUNICIPAL UTILITY COMPANIES’ BOOKS AND FINANCIALS SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.  To allow the public to examine the financials of municipal utilities.

CPES Policy Committee Update: January 10, 2017

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 Kathryn Dube, CPES Executive Director, via email: kdube@ctpower.org

This week’s features:

  • FERC Issues Reliability Primer for Role in Overseeing the Reliable Operation of the Nation’s Interconnected Electric Grid
  • Connecticut Legislation Proposes Bills to Increase Public Awareness and Amend Priorities
  •  Energy and Technology Leadership for 2017 Legislative Session Announced

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

FERC Issues Reliability Primer on the Nation’s Interconnected Electric Grid

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued a Reliability Primer providing an overview of FERC’s role in overseeing the reliable operation of the nation’s interconnected electric grid. The publication describes the basic structure, fundamental concepts, and functions of how the bulk power system operates. According to FERC, the 78-page Reliability Primer is a product of FERC staff and does not reflect the views of the Commission or any individual Commissioner. 

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

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

The following proposed bills may be of interest to our membership:

  • S.B. 4:  AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITIES AND MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC ENERGY COOPERATIVES. To increase public awareness and provide transparency regarding municipal electric utilities and municipal electric energy cooperatives.
  • H.B. 5234:  AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC ENERGY COOPERATIVES AND NONMEMBER MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITIES. To require municipal electric energy cooperatives to disclose information to nonmember municipal electric utilities to which they provide services.
  • H.B. 5040:  AN ACT CONCERNING THE PRIORITY OF BENEFIT ASSESSMENT LIENS UNDER THE COMMERCIAL SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROGRAM. To amend the priority of the benefit assessment lien under the commercial sustainable energy program.

Energy and Technology Leadership for 2017 Legislative Session are as Follows:

  • Chair – Sen. Winfield (D)
  • Chair – Sen. Formica (R)
  • Chair – Rep. Reed (D)
  • Vice Chair – Sen. Doyle (D)
  • Vice Chair – Sen. Hwang (R)
  •  Vice Chair – Rep. Slapp (D)
  • Ranking Member – Rep. Hoydick (R)

MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATION:

The 2017-2018 Massachusetts formal session began on 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