On December 30, 2021, FERC accepted the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.’s (“MISO”) revisions to its Generator Interconnection Procedures (“GIP”), which MISO proposed to, among other things: (1) classify fuel type change requests made during the three-phase Definitive Planning Phase (“DPP”) of MISO’s generator interconnection study process as a material modification, and (2) allow interconnection customers to request surplus interconnection service earlier in the interconnection study process. As FERC found, MISO’s proposed changes represented a “reasonable compromise” to allow interconnection customers to request an earlier review of fuel change request through the surplus process, while minimizing disruptions to the formal DPP process posed by fuel type changes.
Continue Reading FERC Accepts MISO’s Revisions to its Generator Interconnection Procedures Regarding Fuel Type Changes

On December 16, 2021, the Commission issued its final rule on transmission line ratings that reforms both the pro forma Open Access Transmission Tariff (“OATT”) and the Commission’s corresponding regulations in an effort to improve the accuracy and transparency of transmission line ratings. The Commission stated that this rule will more efficiently utilize the transmission grid and help lower costs for consumers.
Continue Reading FERC Issues Final Rule on Transmission Line Ratings

On November 30, 2021, FERC issued and order accepting a California Independent System Operator Corporation (“CAISO”) tariff filing designed to clarify its market rules for hybrid and co-located resources. CAISO proposed two areas of revisions: 1) enhancing market participation for hybrid and co-located resources; and 2) allowing for the use of multiple aggregate capability constraints by co-located resources at a single generating facility in CAISO. Commissioner James Danly wrote separately questioning whether hybrid resources should continue to be exempted from CAISO’s resource adequacy requirements, but agreed the revisions were just and reasonable.
Continue Reading FERC Accepts CAISO Tariff Changes for Co-located and Hybrid Resources

On November 29, 2021, FERC issued a notice stating that the requests for rehearing on PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.’s Focused Minimum Offer Price Rule (“Focused MOPR”) policy, which went into effect by operation of law on September 29, 2021 (see October 29, 2021 edition of the WER) were deemed denied by operation of law. FERC’s notice triggers a 60-day clock under the Federal Power Act for parties to petition for appellate review. The November 29 notice followed rehearing requests filed by parties including the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Electric Power Supply Association, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, Vistra Corporation, and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. In addition to the rehearing requests, the PJM Power Providers Group has already appealed the Focused MOPR to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and submitted comments responding to Chairman Glick’s and Commissioner Clements’ joint statement in support of the Focused MOPR.
Continue Reading Parties Request Rehearing of PJM’s Focused MOPR Policy

On October 26, 2021, FERC issued an order accepting a California Independent System Operator Corporation (“CAISO”) tariff filing designed to improve CAISO’s markets by optimizing the performance of storage and demand response resources. CAISO proposed three distinct tariff revisions: (1) creating biddable state of charge parameters for energy storage; (2) applying market power mitigation to energy storage; and (3) enabling demand response resources to specify maximum daily run times.
Continue Reading FERC Accepts CAISO Proposal Regarding Storage and Demand Response Resources

On October 21, 2021, during the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s monthly open meeting, each Commissioner released an explanatory statement regarding their views of the Southeast Energy Market Exchange (“SEEM”) proposal. Ultimately, the proposal took effect by operation of law on October 12 after the Commission was divided two-two on the lawfulness of the proposal. Under such circumstances, the Federal Power Act requires each Commissioner to issue a written statement explaining their views with respect to the changes. The Commissioners were split on multiple issues, including whether the proposal provided enough protection for competition and whether the Mobile-Sierra presumption should apply to SEEM transactions.
Continue Reading FERC Commissioners Each Explain Southeast Energy Market Exchange Impasse

On September 7, 2021, FERC staff issued a whitepaper to frame discussions ahead of two technical conferences planning to discuss potential ancillary services reforms.  The whitepaper summarizes approaches that RTOs/ISOs are currently evaluating to reform energy and ancillary services markets to address the need for greater operational flexibility, including increasing shortage prices, procuring higher quantities of existing “traditional” ancillary services products (like an operating reserve demand curve), and creating new ancillary services products.
Continue Reading FERC Staff Issues Whitepaper on Energy and Ancillary Services Market Reforms Ahead of Technical Conferences

On July 15, 2021, FERC issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANOPR”) to solicit comments on potential reforms for electric regional transmission planning, cost allocation, and generator interconnection processes. Through public comment, the Commission seeks input on how transmission and interconnection planning and cost allocation procedures can be reformed to facilitate additional renewable energy integration and adjust for increasing demands on the grid. Comments on the ANOPR and replies to Comments are due 75 days and 105 days, respectively, after the ANOPR’s publication in the Federal Register. Following these filings, the Commission may consider whether to issue a formal Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which would precede any final rule on these issues.
Continue Reading FERC Issues Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Potential Reforms for Electric Transmission Planning, Cost Allocation, and Generator Interconnection Processes

On June 17, 2021, FERC took two actions to encourage transmission development across the U.S.  Specifically, FERC issued an order establishing a joint state-federal task force to evaluate transmission development issues, and also issued a policy statement clarifying that states and public utilities remain free to coordinate and collaborate on transmission projects. As Chairman Glick stated in the Commission meeting announcing the order and policy statement, these actions are intended to enable FERC to be “fully engaged with [its] state partners,” ahead of “several transmission initiatives” that may be issued from the Commission in the coming months.
Continue Reading FERC Establishes Joint Federal-State Task Force with NARUC and Issues Policy Statement to Spur Transmission Development

On April 15, 2021, FERC issued a declaratory order confirming that under FERC Order No. 1000, incumbent New York Transmission Owners (“NYTOs”) have a federal right of first refusal (“ROFR”) for upgrades to their existing transmission facilities, including upgrades that are part of another Developer’s transmission project selected in the regional transmission plan for cost allocation. Specifically, FERC declared that the foundational agreements and Section 31.6.4 of the New York Independent System Operator, Inc. (“NYISO”) Open Access Transmission Tariff (“OATT”) established a ROFR of NYTOs to build, own and recover the cost of transmission upgrades to their existing facilities. In the same order, FERC denied requested clarification from the NYISO that such ROFR-exercising NYTOs could be considered “Developers” under the transmission planning process. FERC also provided additional clarity on the distinction between ROFR-eligible “upgrades” and new transmission facilities, indicating that different physical configurations resulting in power flow changes, increasing voltage/transfer capability, and performing different transmission functions, likely fall outside of traditional “upgrades.”
Continue Reading FERC Confirms NYTOs Federal Right of First Refusal to Build and Recover Cost of Upgrades to Existing Transmission Facilities