The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada said a Western market would help alleviate supply shortfalls like those that occurred last August.

FERC provided guidance to Western electricity sellers on how and when to seek exceptions for transactions that exceed the region’s $1,000/MWh soft cap.

FERC accepted penalties against a number of entities, including Entergy and the Tennessee Valley Authority, for violations of NERC reliability standards.

Summer reliability “is shaping up to be a challenge for electric system operators” in most of the ERO Enterprise thanks to extreme weather, NERC said.

Extreme heat and drought conditions are a major cause for concern in the Western Interconnection, according to FERC’s summer assessment.

Utility wildfire experts told WECC that another expected year of hot, dry weather will increase the danger of major fires in the West.

NERC’s Board of Trustees and Member Representatives Committee approved a slew of actions at a packed virtual meeting on Thursday.

The ERO Enterprise extended its pandemic-related regulatory relief measures initiated last year, this time through the end of 2021.

Western states must work more closely to prevent capacity shortfalls and the type of energy crisis that roiled the region 20 years ago.

FERC Chair Richard Glick and NERC CEO James Robb: The West needs to build transmission lines to connect renewable resources to load.