By Rory D. Sweeney VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — Although FERC has required almost all new generating units to provide primary frequency response, PJM stakeholders are strongly opposing any move by the RTO to require existing units to follow suit. That disapproval became clear last week at a meeting of the...

FERC last week approved an uncontested settlement between SPP and several of its members to add an annual revenue requirement and implement a formula rate template and protocols for a new member (ER17-428). The settlement resulted from SPP’s 2016 filing that amended its Tariff governing transmission facilities owned by Vermillion...

By Rory D. Sweeney PJM and its transmission owners released a joint proposal last week to address FERC’s decision last month that the TOs are not in compliance with Order 890 (EL16-71, ER17-179). The commission ruled that the TOs were failing to provide stakeholders with adequate notification, information and enough...

By Rory D. Sweeney VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — Despite being out of scope for potential rule changes, representatives of state interests last week asked for education sessions on load-related analyses during the first meeting of PJM’s new Summer-Only Demand Response Senior Task Force (SODRSTF). The task force’s issue charge specifically...

By Rory D. Sweeney ARLINGTON, Va. — The panels at the Organization of PJM States Inc.’s annual meeting last week took on a wide variety of topics, but two themes rose to the top: cheap natural gas from local shale deposits has undoubtedly upended the electricity industry; and no matter...

By Rory D. Sweeney ARLINGTON, Va. — Newly appointed FERC Commissioner Robert Powelson, a former Pennsylvania Public Utility Commissioner, seemed at ease last week as he addressed the annual meeting of the Organization of PJM States Inc. He cracked jokes and shared memories with fellow regulators, RTO officials and stakeholders. Powelson...

By Rory D. Sweeney VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — Discussion at PJM’s Transmission Replacement Processes Senior Task Force has not advanced much in the four meetings the group has held since being reactivated in late July, but the rhetoric has softened. Tatum | © RTO Insider The PJM Transmission Owners, their...

By Rory D. Sweeney VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — PJM capped a busy week Friday with a 90th birthday celebration that attracted utility CEOs and government officials. CEO Andy Ott described that “beautiful September day” when PJM — which is also celebrating 20 years as an RTO — was formed. Left...

By Rory D. Sweeney PJM’s proposal to create standardized contracts for establishing dynamic transfers with other balancing authority areas has provoked opposition from market participants, a neighboring ISO and the Independent Market Monitors for both PJM and MISO. Critics of the proposed pro forma agreements for pseudo-tied resources filed protests...

By Rory D. Sweeney VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — PJM and MISO staff provided updates on their proposed pro forma pseudo-tie agreements, the “freeze date” on transmission rights and targeted transmission upgrades at their Joint and Common Market meeting Aug. 22. Pseudo-Tie [caption id="attachment_48566" align="alignleft" width="200"] Vannoy | © RTO Insider[/caption]...