On November 12, 2020, FERC accepted two compliance filings submitted by PJM Interconnection, L.LC. (“PJM”) in which PJM proposed updates to its reserve market and forward-looking energy and ancillary services offset (“E&AS Offset”) used in PJM’s capacity market. Commissioner Glick filed a partial dissent, stating that, while he agreed with the implementation of the E&AS Offset, the order was otherwise implementing an unjust and unreasonable rate. Continue Reading FERC Largely Accepts PJM Reserve Market Compliance Filings

On October 30, FERC (under then-Chairman Neil Chatterjee) announced that it planned to convene a roundtable discussion (“Roundtable”) on the increased deployment of electric vehicles (“EVs”) and EV charging infrastructure nationwide, as well as their corresponding impact on the FERC-jurisdictional transmission system and wholesale electric markets (see November 10, 2020 issue of the WER).  The Roundtable was set to take place on December 3, 2020.  On November 10, 2020, FERC (under now-Chairman James Danly) issued a notice that the Roundtable was cancelled.

The November 10, 2020 notice is available here.

On November 5, 2020, FERC approved Southern California Edison Company’s (“SoCal Edison”) request to utilize a May 2020 formula rate sales forecast rather than its April 2020 sales forecast, as required by Appendix IX of SoCal Edison’s Transmission Owner Tariff (“Tariff”). The updated sales forecast, which informs SoCal Edison’s wholesale and retail transmission rate-recovery and true-up calculations, reflects a decrease in sales revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a dissenting opinion, then-Commissioner James Danly opposed the waiver, citing previous criticisms that such FERC action violates the filed rate doctrine and the rule against retroactive ratemaking (see October 28, 2020 edition of the WER). Continue Reading FERC Grants Formula Rate Tariff Waiver; Then-Commissioner Danly Reiterates Criticisms of Retroactivity

On November 3, 2020, FERC upheld its May 2020 order finding PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.’s (“PJM”) reserve market design to be unjust and unreasonable, and establishing a replacement market design including, among other elements, a downward-sloping Operating Reserve Demand Cure (“ORDC”) and a $2,000/MWh price ceiling (see May 28, 2020 edition of the WER). FERC also upheld its prior finding that PJM should implement a new, forward looking energy and ancillary services offset (“E&AS Offset”). FERC’s November 3 order addressed rehearing requests filed by PJM’s Independent Market Monitor (“IMM”), the Maryland Public Service Commission, and Old Dominion Electric Cooperative and the PJM Load/Customer Coalition. Commissioner Richard Glick issued a separate dissenting statement in which he concluded that FERC failed to show that PJM’s existing reserve market design is unjust and unreasonable, and that FERC “rubber stamp[ed]” PJM’s proposed replacement ORDC. Commissioner Glick echoed his dissent in the May 2020 order, explaining that the downward-sloping ORDC will force customers to pay billons of dollars in scarcity pricing when no shortage exists and will produce a windfall for generators.

Importantly, the November 3 order was limited to addressing arguments raised on rehearing of the May 2020 order. PJM’s August 5, 2020 filing, proposing tariff revisions to implement a forward-looking E&AS offset in compliance with the May 2020 order (“August 2020 Compliance Filing”), remains pending before FERC. In the proceeding addressing PJM’s revisions to its Minimum Offer Price Rule (“MOPR Proceeding”), FERC recently stated that the revisions proposed in the August 2020 Compliance Filing will have an impact on the default offer price floors and E&AS Offsets that will be used in the Base Residual Auctions (“BRAs”) and Incremental Auctions for Delivery Year 2022-23 and going forward. FERC therefore stated in the MOPR Proceeding that PJM cannot conduct the BRA for the 2022-23 Delivery Year until FERC has issued an order on PJM’s August 2020 Compliance Filing (see October 22, 2020 edition of the WER). Continue Reading FERC Upholds Changes to PJM Reserve Market Design and E&AS Offset Calculation

On October 30, 2020, FERC rejected ISO New England Inc.’s (“ISO-NE”) proposed revisions to the ISO-NE tariff to resolve long-term fuel security concerns in the New England region. FERC found that ISO-NE’s proposed solutions would substantially increase consumer costs without meaningfully improving fuel security in the region, and offered guidance on how ISO-NE might develop a just and reasonable approach to address its fuel security concerns. Continue Reading FERC Rejects ISO-NE’s Long-Term Fuel Security Proposal

On October 30, 2020, FERC announced that the FERC Chairman will convene a roundtable discussion on December 3, 2020 regarding the increased deployment of electric vehicles (“EVs”) and EV charging infrastructure nationwide and their impact on the FERC-jurisdictional transmission system and wholesale electric markets. Separately, on November 4, 2020, FERC announced that FERC staff will convene a technical conference on February 25 and 26, 2021 to discuss principles and best practices for credit risk management in organized wholesale electric markets.

Continue Reading FERC to Host Technical Conferences on Electric Vehicles and Credit Risk Management in Organized Wholesale Markets

On October 28, 2020, FERC declined to abrogate or modify firm natural gas transportation service agreements (“Gulfport TSAs”) between Gulfport Energy Corporation (“Gulfport”) and Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (“Rockies Express”) in response to a Rockies Express petition anticipating a potential Gulfport bankruptcy filing. After an expedited paper hearing, FERC concluded that the public interest does not presently require any modification, and thus, that the Gulfport TSAs on file remain just and reasonable. In doing so, FERC found that Gulfport failed to provide the evidence needed under Mobile-Sierra for FERC to find that abrogation of the Gulfport TSAs would be in the public interest. FERC’s order also follows its recent determination that it shares concurrent jurisdiction with the Bankruptcy Court over abrogation or modification of gas transportation agreements (see July 1, 2020 edition of the WER). Continue Reading FERC Finds Abrogation of Gas TSAs Would Not Be in the Public Interest Ahead of Possible Bankruptcy Proceeding

On October 26, 2020, FERC issued an order on rehearing sustaining its previous order in which it accepted PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.’s (“PJM”) proposed revisions to the PJM Operating Agreement related to the Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (“RTEP”) that allow project developers to submit voluntary binding cost commitment proposals and that specify PJM’s methodology for considering the cost-effectiveness of such proposals. FERC disagreed with arguments raised by certain PJM transmission owners that the revisions would usurp FERC’s authority, that they lacked specificity, and that the revisions were not submitted in compliance with the procedural requirements of PJM’s Operating Agreement. Continue Reading FERC Affirms PJM’s Voluntary Binding Cost Commitment Requirements Related to RTEP

On November 5, 2020, President Donald Trump designated sitting FERC Commissioner James Danly to assume the Chairmanship of the Commission. Chairman Danly joined FERC as general counsel in 2017, and served as a Commissioner from March through November 2020. Chairman Danly replaces Neil Chatterjee in the role, who will remain a Commissioner. Commissioner Chatterjee’s term expires June 30, 2021. Continue Reading Danly Named FERC Chairman

On October 27, 2020, FERC accepted Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.’s (“MISO’s”) proposal to require conventional, non-intermittent capacity resources with Energy Resource Interconnection Service (“ERIS”) to secure firm transmission service in the amount of the resource’s full Installed Capacity (“ICAP”) in order to meet its capacity market deliverability requirements. In addition, if a capacity resource obtains firm transmission service in an amount less than the resource’s full ICAP, MISO will prorate the amount of capacity credits that resource receives. Continue Reading MISO Beefs Up Deliverability Requirements for Conventional Capacity Resources