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By Holden Mann Citing the need to "provide registered entities with regulatory certainty" during the COVID-19 pandemic, NERC has requested that FERC delay the implementation of several reliability standards that are scheduled to take effect this year (RM15-4, et al.). The organization asked that FERC consider the request on an...

By Rich Heidorn Jr. FERC has extended the implementation deadline for the latest version of the North American Energy Standards Board’s (NAESB) Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities (RM05-5-028). The commission acted Friday at the request of SPP and MISO, which said the original July 27,...

By Holden Mann FERC on Thursday granted NERC another extension on the deadline for two compliance filings ordered earlier this year so that the organization can focus on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic (RR19-7). The commission ordered the filings Jan. 23 in response to NERC’s five-year performance assessment. One...

By Holden Mann The Federal Communications Commission has scheduled a vote for its April 23 open meeting on draft rules that would open the 6-GHz wireless spectrum — currently available only to licensed operators — to unlicensed users. However, utilities remain concerned about the potential for disrupted operations. The commission...

By Holden Mann FERC accepted settlements Friday with Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) and two utilities owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy — Nevada Power (NEVP) and Sierra Pacific Power Co. (SPPC) — for violations of NERC reliability standards. The settlements with NEVP and SPPC carried penalties of $231,000...

By Holden Mann FERC and NERC are working to ease the compliance burden on utilities grappling with the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, the organizations announced Wednesday. In a press release, FERC and NERC said they "are using regulatory discretion" to address the difficulties registered entities may have with complying...

By Holden Mann The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and Open Access Technology International (OATI) have asked FERC to clarify its order requiring public utilities to adopt the North American Energy Standards Board’s (NAESB) Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities. FERC issued Order 676-I (RM05-5-025, et al.)...

By Holden Mann FERC last week accepted settlements with Bonneville Power Administration and FirstLight Power, along with an unnamed entity in the Eastern Interconnection, for violations of NERC reliability standards. The commission said in a notice on Friday (NP20-7) it would not review the settlements, leaving NERC’s penalties intact. NERC...

FERC on Friday granted NERC’s request for more time to submit changes to its Rules of Procedure (ROP) ordered by the commission in January (RR19-7). The revisions demanded by FERC on Jan. 23 in response to the ERO’s five-year performance assessment include updating terminology regarding the Electricity Information Sharing and...

Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette has named Alexander Gates to head the Department of Energy’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER), according to an email from Brouillette obtained by E&E News. He replaces Karen Evans, who has led the office since its creation in 2018. Gates joins DOE...