CPES Policy Committee Update: May 8, 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-NE Summer 2018 Outlook
  • ISO-NE Winter 2018 Markets Report  
  • Recently Published ISO New England Webinars
  • ISO-NE successfully completes FERC audit of competitive transmission planning process, financial requirements, and more
  • Gov. Malloy Announces Cybersecurity Action Plan for CT
  • Energy Bill Sails Through Senate Over Ferocious Opposition by Environmental, Solar Groups

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

ISO-NE SUMMER 2018 OUTLOOK
Under normal weather conditions, New England is expected to have sufficient resources to meet peak consumer demand for electricity this summer, according to ISO New England. ISO New England prepares short-term forecasts for the summer and winter seasons, taking into account estimated contributions from all resources, including those with and without an obligation through the capacity market to supply electricity; unplanned resource outages; imports from neighboring regions; and resource additions and retirements. These estimates help inform ISO New England’s planning on how to operate the grid during the upcoming peak season. Read the press release here.

ISO-NE WINTER 2018 MARKETS REPORT  
ISO New England’s report, prepared by the Internal Market Monitor (IMM) of ISO New England, reviews wholesale energy market outcomes for the three-month period from December 1, 2017, through February 28, 2018. The Winter 2018 Quarterly Markets Report notes that the total wholesale cost of electricity (including energy, capacity, and ancillary services) during the three-month period was $3.43 billion, double the market value of $1.7 billion during the winter of 2017. The quarterly report includes a section on market performance during the December/January cold spell, as well as a section reviewing the results of the 12th Forward Capacity Market Auction (FCA #12). See the full report here.

RECENTLY PUBLISHED ISO NEW ENGLAND WEBINARS
ISO New England’s presentations and recordings of the May 1, 2018, FCM New Capacity Qualification for Demand Resources and FCM New Capacity Qualification for Generation and Imports webinars are now available on the ISO New England website. The webinars review the requirements associated with the submittal of the new capacity qualification package for the Forward Capacity Auction for the 2022-2023 Capacity Commitment Period (FCA #13).

ISO-NE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES FERC AUDIT OF COMPETETIVE TRANSMISSION PLANNING PROCESS, FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS, AND MORE
On April 18, 2018, ISO New England received a successful audit report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Division of Audits and Accounting (DAA). The audit evaluated the ISO’s compliance during the period of July 10, 2013, through June 30, 2017, with the ISO Open Access Transmission Tariff; FERC Order No. 1000, which established new electric transmission planning and cost allocation requirements; and FERC’s accounting, reporting, and record-retention requirements. The DAA found no incidents of noncompliance. For details, read Final Audit Report: Audit of ISO New England, Inc.’s Compliance with its Transmission, Markets and Services Tariff; and Commission Accounting, Reporting, and Record Retention Requirements (April 2018).

CONNECTICUT

GOVERNOR MALLOY ANNOUNCES CYBERSECURITY ACTION PLAN FOR CT
Last week, Governor Malloy announced the release of a Cybersecurity Action Plan for Connecticut and called for an enhanced cybersecurity defense and resilience to meet the increasing array of cyber risks facing the state. Read the new strategy here, and the press release here.

ENERGY BILL SAILS THROUGH THE SENATE OVER FEROCIOUS OPPOSITION BY ENVIRONMENTAL, SOLAR GROUPS
With only days to spare, the most consequential energy legislation in years sailed through the Senate and now moves to the House of Representatives. There have been days of discussions over the last month among the committee’s leaders and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The Governor’s office, the environmental advocacy community, business interests and affected industries have kept close watch. But Senate Bill 9, proposed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to implement the state’s updated Comprehensive Energy Strategy (CES), is still facing controversy, even though it has undergone massive changes since it was approved by the Energy and Technology Committee.

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