PSEG, AEP and FirstEnergy are among the utilities with the greatest risk of seeing their transmission rates decline as a result of FERC’s new formula for determining returns on equity, according to a new report.

News briefs from the states within the PJM footprint. This week we include Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

PJM members gave initial approval to a manual change that will make it easier for banks to purchase capacity providers’ revenue streams.

Virginia State Corporation Commission staff wants Dominion Virginia Power to conduct a risk analysis comparing reliance on natural gas-fired generation and constructing a third unit at its North Anna nuclear plant.

Two losing bidders for the Artificial Island transmission project have issued harsh critiques of PJM’s handling of the solicitation, seeking to persuade the Board of Managers to reject planners’ recommendation that the project be awarded to PSE&G.

PJM members approved yet another initiative to address reliability concerns over gas-fired generators, agreeing to consider changes to the way such units submit energy and capacity market offers.

PJM capacity prices would increase sharply but reliability would not be threatened if a recent federal court ruling eliminated demand response from wholesale markets, the Market Monitor said.

PJM officials said they have acquired sufficient new black start capacity to replace coal-fired units that will retire over the next year due to environmental rules.

PJM officials are considering boosting the RTO’s installed reserve margin (IRM) for winter as a result of its experience in January, when it narrowly avoided shedding load amid frigid temperatures and high outage rates.

Load and supply factions deadlocked Thursday, as members rejected three proposed changes to the MOPR.