The New York PSC ordered a study and technical conference to identify fixes for persistent transmission congestion along the Mohawk and Hudson Valley corridors.

The EPA last week issued the first-ever federal regulations on the handling and storage of coal ash, pleasing utilities and disappointing environmentalists by declining to classify the material as hazardous waste.

PSEG Nuclear last week called on PJM to prevent planners from using what the company said is unproven technology in the stability fix for Artificial Island.

FERC is starting the process of arbitrating interregional Order 1000 compliance filings, beginning last week with PJM and MISO.

FERC upheld its 2011 rate order for the RITELine transmission project over the opposition of Commissioner Philip Moeller, who opposed the panel’s decision to reduce an incentive adder for risks.

News briefs on the federal agencies that impact those doing business in the RTO footprints. This week we include FERC, the NRC and the Energy Department.

AEP went before PUCO in a rare oral argument to support its request for a power purchase agreement for the Kyger Creek power plant.

PJM is seeking to reach a consensus with neighboring RTOs on a long-term increase in the $1,000 energy offer cap.

FERC last week accepted a plan by ISO-NE to increase its scrutiny of energy importers to mitigate market power in its capacity auctions.

PJM announced a fallback plan to incorporate demand response into the capacity market in the event a court ruling limiting the jurisdiction of FERC stands.