Tag Archives: Policy Update

CPES Policy Committee Update: November 29, 2017

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:

  • PURA Established a Docket Concerning the Application of Infinity Power Partners, LLC for a Certificate of Registration as an Electric Aggregator 
  • PURA Established a Docket Concerning the Application of Optik Energy, LLC for a Connecticut Electric Supplier License 

CT PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY NEW DOCKETS

On November 16, 2017, PURA established the following docket:

  • Docket No. 17-11-16:  Application of Infinity Power Partners, LLC for a Certificate of Registration as an Electric Aggregator

On November 21, 2017, PURA established the following docket:

  • Docket No. 17-11-25:  Application of Optik Energy, LLC for a Connecticut Electric Supplier License 

CPES Policy Committee Update: September 26, 2017

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:

  • Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Activity: U.S. Senate Energy Committee Sends FERC Nominees to Full Senate
  • Update on Millstone Power Station
  • CT Budget: Energy Industry Impact

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION ACTICITY: U.S. SENATE ENERGY COMMITTEE SEND FERC NOMINEES TO FULL SENATE
On September 19, 2017, the U.S. Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee approved two nominees to serve as commissioners on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)—Kevin McIntyre and Richard Glick. McIntyre, a republican who will be designated as chairman, has been nominated to two terms ending in 2023. The Committee held a nomination hearing for McIntyre and Glick on September 7. The nominations now head to the Senate floor.

If confirmed, McIntyre and Glick will join Commissioners Cheryl LaFleur and Robert Powelson, and Acting Chairman Neil Chatterjee, returning a full complement of five commissioners to FERC.

CONNECTICUT

MILLSTONE POWER STATION UPDATE
The fireworks continue in the joint DEEP-PURA proceeding to study the economic viability of Millstone Station. Last week, in a response to a series of data requests from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), Dominion declined to answer a majority of inquiries about its revenue, expenses, cash flow and earnings. “Dominion Energy will not provide competitively sensitive or proprietary information related to this request … at this time,” the company wrote. DEEP and PURA staff will likely be forced to move forward using estimates based on public information. See articles from Hartford Business Journal and the Courant.

CONNECTICUT BUDGET: IMPACT ON THE ENERGY INDUSTRY
The Republican budget, that passed in dramatic fashion, includes a provision to remove PURA from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which has existed as a single agency since 2011. As passed, the bill also eliminates statutory authorization of the Bureau of Energy and Technology Policy. The Republican budget: (1) Reduces rates and decreases costs for Connecticut’s ratepayers, (2) ensures the reliability and safety of our state’s energy supply, (3) increases the use of clean energy and technologies that support clean energy, and (4) develops the state’s energy-related economy. The head of such authority shall be the chairperson elected in accordance with section 16-2 of the state statutes. Despite passing both the House and the Senate, Governor Malloy has threatened to veto the budget. See article from WNPR

CPES Policy Committee Update: June 20, 2017

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.

This week’s feature:

  • FERC Staff Issues 2017 Summer Seasonal Assessment Report
  • PURA Established a Docket Regarding Joint Application for Approval of a Change of Control
  • Connecticut Legislation Adjourned for the Regular Session on June 7, 2017

REGIONAL AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

FERC Staff Issues 2017 Summer Seasonal Assessment Report

On June 15, 2017, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staff issued the Summer 2017 Energy Market and Reliability Assessment Report. The report is FERC staff’s annual opportunity to share its summer outlook on the electricity and natural gas markets, as well as reliability matters, to better inform the Commission’s understanding of current and future trends.

The report touches on the possibility of tight supply margins should forecasted summer peak conditions occur in New England. The report states that “ISO-NE may be required to rely on additional imports from neighboring regions as well as implementing operating procedures to maintain reliability during possible periods of supply deficiencies.”

To access the entire report, click here.

PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY NEW DOCKET:

On June 16, 2017, PURA established the following docket:

 

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The 2017 Regular Session adjourned on June 7, 2017.  A special session has been called to deal with the biennial budget and the current budget deficit. If a budget agreement can not be reached by July 1st, the beginning of the new fiscal year, the Governor will run the state without a budget through Executive Order or the Legislature may pass a continuing resolution until a budget is in place.

See the June 13 Policy Update for a list of bills that passed during the regular session that may be of interest to our members.

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

CPES Policy Committee Update: June 6, 2017

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.

This week’s feature:

  • New England’s Wholesale Electricity Markets Were Competitive in 2016
  • Drift Is a New Startup Applying Peer-to-Peer Trading to Retail Electricity Markets
  • Eversource Energy to Buy Aquarion in $1.68 Billion Deal
  • PURA established a docket for the Application of The Southern Connecticut Gas Company to Increase Its Rates and Charges
  • Sub. Sen. Bill 900 passed in both chambers over the weekend

STATE AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

New England’s Wholesale Electricity Markets Were Competitive in 2016

The 2016 Annual Markets Report (AMR), issued by ISO New England’s Internal Market Monitor (IMM), concluded that New England’s wholesale power markets were competitive in 2016. The 2016 AMR covers the period from January 1 to December 31, 2016, and contains the IMM’s analyses of market operations and results.

The total value of the region’s wholesale electricity markets, including the cost of electric energy, capacity, ancillary services, and the cost of transmission services and upgrades, fell by about $1.7 billion, or 18%, from roughly $9.3 billion in 2015 to roughly $7.6 billion in 2016.

The total value of the region’s wholesale electric energy market in 2016 was $4.1 billion, which is 30% lower than the 2015 value of $5.9 billion. The 2016 electric energy market value was the lowest since 2003, when New England’s wholesale energy markets were launched in their current form. Over that same time period, the previous record-low market value was $5.2 billion in 2012

The decline in wholesale power prices mirrored a 34% year-over-year decline in the average price of natural gas, which is the fuel used most often to generate electricity in New England. Natural-gas-fired power plants produced 49% of the power generated in New England last year.

The full report is available on ISO New England’s website.

Drift Is a New Startup Applying Peer-to-Peer Trading to Retail Electricity Markets
The company is taking all the hottest tech in Silicon Valley and bringing it to New York’s retail energy market.

A Seattle-based startup is taking some of the most talked-about technology applications — machine learning, high-frequency trading, and peer-to-peer selling — and applying them to retail energy markets.

The 15-person company, called Drift, is attempting to change electricity delivery in deregulated markets by connecting consumers directly to energy producers on a cryptographically secure system (think blockchain), allowing it to granularly match a customer’s environmental or cost preferences.

Drift is made up of engineers who’ve worked at Amazon, Google and Microsoft; a data scientist from Argonne National Laboratory; a head of marketing from Uber; and a former FERC attorney.

Greg Robinson, the co-founder and CEO, said the platform was designed to “ruthlessly lower costs in the supply chain” and provide a more customized experience for people looking for energy choice.

https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/drift-is-a-startup-applying-peer-to-peer-trading-to-retail-electricity

Eversource Energy to Buy Aquarion in $1.68 Billion Deal
On June 2nd, The Hartford Courant reported that Eversource Energy had announced they had reached an agreement to buy Aquarion Water Co. for $1.68 billion, combining New England’s largest electric and gas utility with a dominant water company in Connecticut. MORE INFO

PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY NEW DOCKET:

On May 26, 2017, PURA established the following docket:

 

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

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’s JF deadline was March 23, 2017.  The list of bills reported out of the Energy and Technology Committee is available at:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/CommJFList.asp?comm_code=et and additional information about the status of these bills is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/etdata/cbr/et.asp

Sub. Sen. Bill 900 passed in both chambers over the weekend.  Below is the title of the bill and two links to find the language.

AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR REVISIONS TO ELECTRIC SUPPLIER COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARDS AND ADVERTISING AND CONTRACT PROVISIONS AND THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY’S REPORTING OF ELECTRIC RATES. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/FC/pdf/2017SB-00900-R000344-FC.pdf and https://www.cga.ct.gov/2017/amd/S/pdf/2017SB-00900-R00SA-AMD.pdf

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