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 Final Rules to Improve Regional Market Transparency, Interconnections
- Connecticut Water Confirms Receipt of Unsolicited Acquisition Proposal from Eversource Energy
- Upcoming Training and Webinars from ISO-NE
- FERC Initiates Notice of Inquiry Into Pipeline Certificate
- Millstone “At Risk” Determination
- PURA Docket No. 13-08-14RE04 established on April 18, 2018: PURA Development of the Administrative Processes and Program Specifications for Virtual Net Metering – Application Amendment
REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
FERC INITIATES NOTICE OF INQUIRY INTO PIPELINE CERTIFICATE
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) launched an inquiry seeking information and stakeholder perspectives on whether and how to revise existing policies regarding the Commission’s review and authorization of interstate natural gas transportation facilities. For more information, see FERC’s website and the Notice of Inquiry.
FERC ISSUES FINAL RULE TO IMPROVE REGIONAL MARKET TRANSPARENCY, INTERCONNECTIONS
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued two final rules to improve transparency in organized electric power markets and make electricity interconnections more effective and efficient.
- Transparency Final Rule: Addresses transparency regarding uplift payments, operator-initiated commitments and transmission constraint penalty factors in organized electric power markets. The rule requires regional market operators to report, on a monthly basis: total uplift payments for each transmission zone, broken out by day and uplift category; total uplift payments to each resource; and the commitment size, transmission zone, commitment reason, and commitment start time of each operator-initiated commitment. The rule also requires regional market operators to include in their tariffs the transmission constraint penalty factors used in their market software, the circumstances under which those factors can set locational marginal prices, and any processes by which they can be changed.
- Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements Final Rule: Addresses reform of generator interconnection procedures and agreements for generators of more than 20 megawatts, and adopts reforms designed to improve certainty for interconnection customers, promote informed interconnection decisions and enhance the interconnection process.
CONNECTICUT WATER CONFIRMS RECEIPT OF UNSOLICITED ACQUISITION PROPOSAL FROM EVERSOURCE ENERGY
Connecticut Service, Inc. plans to continue with its merger with San Jose Water Group, despite a proposal from Eversource Energy earlier this month. Eversource announced Thursday that it sent a proposal to Connecticut Water to acquire its outstanding shares for $63.50 per share in cash. Shareholders would also have the option to receive the equivalent shares in Eversource in lieu of a monetary payment. Connecticut Water, headquartered in Clinton, said it received Eversource’s “non-binding, unsolicited” proposal and the company’s board of directors unanimously decided to decline it.
UPCOMING TRAINING FROM ISO-NE
Intermediate Wholesale Electricity Markets (WEM 201) May 15- 27, 2018. This three-day course provides an intermediate-level treatment of energy market concepts, including unit commitment, locational marginal pricing (LMP), reserve co-optimization, market interactions, settlement mechanics, and Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs).
PRD–Real-Time Operational Expectations, May 22, 2018 10:00 am. – 12:00 p.m. This webinar will focus on real-time operational expectations for demand response resources (DRRs) and demand designated entity (DDE) staff under price-responsive demand (PRD) effective on June 1, 2018. Topics include expectations for (1) response to normal and emergency dispatch instructions, (2) DRR real-time re-submittals, and (3) communications with ISO New England system operators.
ISO IS HOSTING TWO WEBINARS ON ITS FORWARD CAPACITY MARKETS
FCM New Capacity Qualification for Demand Resources, May 1, 2018, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. This webinar will review the requirements associated with the submittal of the new capacity qualification package for demand resource projects requesting participation in the Forward Capacity Auction for the 2022-2023 Capacity Commitment Period (FCA #13).
FCM New Capacity Qualification for Generation and Imports, May 1, 2018, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. This webinar will review the requirements associated with the submittal of the new capacity qualification package for generating and import capacity resource projects requesting participation in the Forward Capacity Auction for the 2022-2023 Capacity Commitment Period (FCA #13). It will also include a segment on import capacity resources with Elective Transmission Upgrades (ETU).
CONNECTICUT
MILLSTONE “AT RISK” DETERMINATION
Following the February decision under Executive Order 59 and June Special Session Public Act 17-3 by state regulators to allow nuclear plants to compete in an auction with new and existing solar, wind and hydropower energy producers for fixed-price contracts with state-regulated utilities. On April 4th DEEP and PURA issued a notice of request for written comments on their proposed procedure and criteria for determining if a power generating facility is at “at risk.” Comments were due April 11 and a half dozen were filed. An article from New London Day summarized the comments, including those from Dominion, Eversource, and NRG Energy. According to DEEP and PURA’s notice, PURA proposed to initiate the “at risk” proceeding this April, with DEEP initiating an RFP proceeding before May 1.
PURA DOCKET ESTABLISHED ON APRIL 18, 2018
- Docket No. 13-08-14RE04: PURA Development of the Administrative Processes and Program Specifications for Virtual Net Metering – Application Amendment
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