Tag Archives: FERC

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: September 11, 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’s Update on Labor Day Power System Conditions
  • ISO-NE Files Proposal To Retain Retiring Resources for Fuel Security
  • ISO-NE launches a redesigned Ask ISO
  • PURA Docket No. 18-08-33:  Proceeding to Establish Section 7 of Public Act 18-50, Procurement Plans and Related Tariffs and Other Issues

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

ISO-NE’s UPDATE ON LABOR DAY POWER SYSTEM CONDITIONS
On Monday, September 3rd, weather and resource outages led to capacity shortage conditions in the region.  For more information on this event, see ISO’s website which provides details on the day’s forecast and demand, outages, and prices.

ISO-NE FILES PROPOSAL TO RETAIN RETIRING RESOURCES FOR FUEL SECURITY
In the end of August, ISO-NE filed a proposal with FERC to retain resources seeking retirement on the basis of a fuel-security reliability need. ISO now begins stakeholder discussions to develop a market-based mechanism to address long-term fuel-security challenges facing the region. For background, read ISO’s update on ISO-NE’s operational fuel security initiatives.

ISO-NE LAUNCHES A REDESIGNED ASK ISO 
ISO New England recently updated its customer issue management application, Ask ISO, to enhance interactions with customers and other stakeholders and support business continuity requirements. For more details on the redesigned tool and upgrades, see ISO’s Customer Contact Center Solution (CCCS) Key Project webpage and the updated customer user guide.

CONNECTICUT
On August 31, 2018, PURA established the following Docket No. 18-08-33:  Proceeding to Establish Section 7 of Public Act 18-50, Procurement Plans and Related Tariffs and Other Issues 

 

 

CPES Policy Committee Update: August 14, 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:

  • New England Governors Issue Statement on Energy Affordability and Reliability
  • ISO-NE’s Community Liaison Group’s September Meeting to be held in Windsor Locks
  • FERC Hearing on Reliability

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY

NEW ENGLAND GOVERNORS ISSUE STATEMENT ON ENERGY AFFORDABILITY AND RELIABILITY
On Aug 13, the New England Governors issued a statement on energy affordability and reliability in New England at the 42nd Annual Conference of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG-ECP). The meeting was hosted in Stowe, Vermont by Vermont Governor Phil Scott. 

ISO-NE’S CONSUMER LIASION GROUP’S SEPTEMBER MEETING TO BE HELD IN WINDSOR LOCKS
ISO’s fall Consumer Liaison Group (CLG) meeting is scheduled for September 20, 2018 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Hartford-Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks.  The topic is “Electrification of the Heating Sector: Exploring Consumer Choices” and the meeting will include a keynote, a panel discussion, and a presentation from ISO New England.  Register for the meeting here.

The CLG is the consumers’ voice in the electric industry. Meetings are free and open to the public. For more information on the CLG, visit the CLG webpage.

FERC HEARING ON RELIABILITY
On July 31, FERC held a technical conference on reliability.  Presentations included topics such as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s reliability standards, grid resilience, cybersecurity, and power system planning and operations challenges and opportunities as a result of the changing generating resource mix.  materials from the conference are available on the Commission’s website.

CPES Policy Committee Update: July 10, 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:

  • Commissioner Powelson Announces Surprise Departure From FERC
  • Dominion to State: Millstone ‘At Risk Now’
  • Recent Dockets Established by PURA

REGIONAL/INDUSTRY
Commissioner Powelson Announces Surprise Departure From FERC

CONNECTICUT
Dominion to State: Millstone ‘At Risk Now’
Dominion Energy submitted comments to DEEP on their draft zero carbon resources RFP last week against a provision in the draft RFP that states that facilities can only be deemed “at risk” commencing June 1, 2023.  Read more about Dominion’s submission and feedback from state legislators at The Day’s website.

On June 29, 2018, PURA established the following dockets:
Docket No. 18-06-37:  PURA Review of Clean Energy and Renewable Resource Agreements Selected in Response to DEEP’s January 1, 2018 Request For Proposals From Private Developers For Clean Energy

Docket No. 18-07-01:  Application of The Connecticut Light and Power Company and Yankee Gas Services Company, each individually d/b/a Eversource Energy, The United Illuminating Company, Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation, and The Southern Connecticut Gas Company for Approval of Arrearage Forgiveness Program 2018-2019 

On June 27, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 18-06-28:  Annual Review of Connecticut Electric Suppliers’ and Electric Distribution Companies’ Compliance with Connecticut’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards in the Year 2017 

CPES Policy Committee Update: June 12, 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 and NRC Joint Meeting
  • 2018 Integrated Resources Plan
  • Special Report of Acts Affecting Energy and Utilities
  • CT PURA, DEEP and OCC protest Constellation Mystic Cost-of-Service filing at FERC
  • Docket No. 18-05-16: Application of Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation to Increase Its Rates and Charge

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

FERC AND NRC JOINT MEETING
On Thursday, June 7, the Federal Energy Regulatory commission (FERC) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) held a joint meeting covering: the state of reliability; grid reliability, nuclear power plants, and other topics; and cyber security activities.  The final agenda and presentations are available on FERC’s website.

CONNECTICUT

2018 INTEGRATED RESOURCES PLAN
On May 29, 2018, DEEP issued a Notice of Proceeding, Scoping Meeting, and Opportunity for Public Comment.  The scoping meeting is scheduled for June 12, 2018 at 9:00 AM EPT.  DEEP’s notice, which includes additional scheduled IRP tasks, is available here.

ACTS AFFECTING ENERGY AND UTILITIES
The Office of Legislative Research issued a Special Report of Acts Affecting Energy and Utilities, dated June 5, 2018.

CT PURA, DEEP and OCC PROTEST CONSTELLATION MYSTIC COST-OF-SERVICE FILING AT FERC
On June 6, 2018, the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel filed a Protest at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in Docket No. ER18-1639-000.  The parties protest Constellation Mystic Power’s Cost of Service (COS) Agreement and ask that FERC find the proposed COS Agreement is not just or reasonable, suspend the COS Agreement, and set the matter for an evidentiary hearing and settlement talks.  As described in the protest, Mystic’s request for approval of the COS Agreement “is premised on its claim that absent full cost of service funding…Mystic 8 & 9 will be retired and the related Everett Marine/Distrigas liquefied natural gas (LNG) Terminal will be closed, leaving New England facing unacceptable ‘fuel security’ risks.”  The parties to the protest ask FERC “to resist Mystic’s effort to hold a sword over New England’s head now that ISO-NE has found that its resources are needed for fuel security.”

RECENT PURA DOCKETS
On May 30, 2018, PURA established Docket No. 18-05-16:  Application of Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation to Increase Its Rates and Charges