Briefs from federal agencies governing PJM Interconnection and other national organizations. This week's news include stories from the Agriculture Department, the Obama Administration, and other national news.

News briefs on companies in PJM Interconnection: Algonquin, Dominion, Duke, and Dynegy.

PJM generators told FERC that it should go beyond PJM’s qualification rules for demand response providers — with some proposing that planned DR resources be banned from the capacity market.

No one spoke up when Market Monitor Joe Bowring opened the floor to stakeholders in the Monitor's annual Advisory Committee meeting Friday. But Bowring and his staff took the opportunity to renew their case for eliminating “sham” scheduling and changing PJM rules on opportunity costs.

Looming coal retirements will boost on-peak energy prices in eastern PJM by at least $3/MWh -- with a jump of as much as $11/MWh in the first five years  -- according to a newly-released study.

FERC last week gave final approval to Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards that for the first time cover all bulk power system assets according to their impact on the grid.

FERC last week approved a rule sought by the solar industry to streamline interconnections for the growing segment of small generators.

Cheryl LaFleur became acting chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Sunday, succeeding Jon Wellinghoff, who came under pressure to resign after accepting a law firm position in October.

MISO officials signaled their opposition to PJM’s new limits on imports, saying they'll be capacity buyers in the near term as they face a shortfall as early as 2016.

Lacking consensus, PJM dropped plans for a vote on measures to prevent speculation in the capacity auctions, returning the issue to a lower committee.