The capacity crunch ushers in a multitude of challenges, notably for utilities, developers, and other stakeholders in the energy market. In this three-part video series, our energy attorneys explore the critical issues and opportunities arising from this pivotal moment.Continue Reading Capacity Crunch Series: Reliability Issues, Decarbonization, and Tax Opportunities

On November 16, 2023, FERC granted Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia’s (“Dominion”) petition requesting the Commission declare that Dominion’s planned liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) production, storage, and regasification facility (“Back-up Fuel Project” or “Project”) in Greensville County, Virginia would be exempt from the Commission’s jurisdiction under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (“NGA”). In so doing, FERC determined the Project satisfied the “Hinshaw Exemption” under NGA section 1(c).Continue Reading FERC Finds Dominion LNG Back-up Fuel Project Satisfies Hinshaw Exemption Under the NGA

On October 19, 2023, FERC accepted ISO New England Inc.’s (“ISO-NE”) proposal to allow electric storage facilities to be planned and operated as transmission-only assets (“SATOAs”) to address system needs identified in the regional system planning process. FERC determined that the ISO-NE’s proposal established a just and reasonable framework for electric storage resources to be considered a transmission asset for regional planning purposes and thus be eligible for cost-based rate recovery. Continue Reading FERC Accepts ISO-NE’s Proposal to Treat Electric Storage Facilities as Transmission-Only Assets

On May 26, 2023, the Commission accepted Southwest Power Pool, Inc.’s (“SPP”) proposed revisions to its Tariff to establish the “framework under which an electric storage resource may be considered a transmission asset.” Continue Reading FERC Approves SPP Proposal for Energy Storage to Be Considered Transmission-Only Assets

In response to the transformational Inflation Reduction Act, Troutman Pepper has launched Taking Charge: Inside the U.S. Battery Boom, an in-depth report examining the accelerated growth in the U.S. battery storage sector.

We look at how the legislation is creating both opportunity and complexity, as businesses develop and adapt their strategies to navigate the industry’s

On March 1, 2023, FERC partially approved ISO New England’s (“ISO-NE”) proposed tariff revisions in compliance with Order No. 2222, which removed barriers to the participation of distributed energy resource (“DER”) aggregations in the capacity, energy, and ancillary services markets operated by Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators (“RTO/ISO”). In the order, FERC directed ISO-NE to revise its proposal regarding small utility opt-in requirements, capacity market participation, information and data requirements, and metering and telemetry system requirements. Commissioner Christie dissented from the order arguing that ISO-NE’s proposed metering and telemetry requirements for DER aggregations are reasonable and should be encouraging RTO/ISOs to adopt rigorous measurement and verification (“M&V”) measures, not undercutting them. Commissioner Danly concurred with a separate statement, expressing how this decision underscores his original concerns with Order No. 2222, namely that FERC is interfering in managing RTO activities that, in his view, should be under state jurisdiction. Commissioner Clements also concurred with a separate statement urging ISO-NE to make its proposal open to all DERs, such as behind-the-meter DERs.Continue Reading FERC Partially Accepts ISO-NE Order No. 2222 Compliance Filing, but Expresses Concern that Proposal Could Create Undue Barrier to DERs

On February 14, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”) upheld FERC’s March 2021 order granting Broadview Solar, LLC’s (“Broadview”) hybrid solar and battery project qualifying facility (“QF”) status (see March 25, 2021 edition of the WER) based on FERC’s interpretation of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (“PURPA”). Specifically, the D.C. Circuit determined, among other things, that FERC’s interpretation that a QF owner can use the MW net output at the point of interconnection in determining whether a facility meets the 80 MW statutory maximum for small power production facility QF status under PURPA was reasonable.Continue Reading D.C. Circuit Upholds FERC Interpretation of PURPA Size Limitation Based on “Send out” to Point of Interconnection

On November 17, 2022, FERC issued three orders intended to address the reliability impacts of the rapid integration of inverter-based resources (“IBRs”), including solar, wind, fuel cell, and battery storage resources, on the Bulk-Power System (“BPS”). Specifically, in the first proceeding, FERC directed the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (“NERC”) to develop a plan to register the entities that own and operate IBRs so that NERC may monitor their compliance with NERC’s Reliability Standards. In the second proceeding, FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NOPR”) to direct NERC to develop new or modified Reliability Standards that address reliability gaps related to IBRs. Lastly, in the final proceeding, FERC approved revisions to two of NERC’s Reliability Standards.Continue Reading FERC Issues Proposals Regarding Inverter-Based Resources to Improve Grid Reliability

On November 17, 2022, FERC granted a petition for declaratory order (“Petition”) filed by Ameresco, Inc. (“Ameresco”) and its subsidiaries (collectively with Ameresco, “the Ameresco Companies”) requesting exemption from certain “books and records” requirements under the Commission’s Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 (“PUHCA”) regulations because its ownership of certain grid-charged battery storage subsidiaries might otherwise have caused Ameresco to lose its automatic “books and records” exemption under PUHCA. FERC granted the Petition, notwithstanding the fact that some of the storage subsidiaries would not otherwise qualify for the non-traditional utility “books and records” exemption, because the “Ameresco Companies’ books, accounts, memoranda, and other records are not relevant to the jurisdictional rates of Ameresco Companies.”Continue Reading FERC Finds PUHCA Exemptions Appropriate for Holding Company Ownership of Grid-Charging Storage Facilities Selling at Retail

On July 28, 2022, FERC proposed changes to its Uniform System of Accounts (“USofA”) in response to the growth of non-hydro renewable generation such as wind, solar, and storage and to codify accounting for renewable energy credits (“RECs”). FERC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NOPR”) follows a Notice of Inquiry issued in January 2021 seeking comment on the appropriate accounting treatment for certain renewable energy assets (see January 28, 2021 edition of the WER). Comments on the NOPR are due 45 days from its publication in the Federal Register.
Continue Reading FERC Proposes Revised Accounting Rules to Address Renewables