In a big win for FERC and supporters of electricity markets, on January 23, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit rejected Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal’s challenge to New England’s market design. The Attorney General and a group of New England industrial customers challenged FERC’s decisions approving a temporary “hybrid” market design […]
FERC issued a final rule October 17 to strengthen competition in organized wholesale electric markets. The rule (generally consistent with the proposed rule FERC issued last February) seeks to improve wholesale markets by establishing a more forceful role for demand response and long-term contracts in organized markets, strengthening market monitoring, and improving the responsiveness of […]
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report to Congress on September 26 urging FERC to take additional steps to analyze the benefits and performance of the Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) that manage regional transmission grids. FERC’s development of RTOs has been controversial from the beginning, with many arguing that they ultimately increase electricity prices. […]
On April 21, FERC issued an order generally affirming its market-based rate program, promulgated last June in Order No. 697. FERC left many of its prior determinations in place, including much of the analysis sellers must provide in order to receive or maintain authority to sell electric energy, capacity, and/or ancillary services at market-based rates. […]
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has conditionally accepted a Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (Midwest ISO) plan for ensuring long-term resource adequacy in the RTO’s 15-state territory. Most other RTOs and ISOs have spent years grappling with how to ensure sufficient capacity is available to meet peak demand, and contentious FERC proceedings have led to […]