On June 18, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) issued six show cause orders under Section 206 of the Federal Power Act (“FPA”) to each of the country’s regional transmission operators (“RTOs”) and independent system organizations (“ISOs”), along with their transmission owners (collectively, the “Show Cause Orders”). FERC issued the Show Cause Orders as an initial response to the Secretary of Energy’s October 2025 letter directing FERC to initiate an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANOPR”) presenting potential reforms to ensure the timely and orderly interconnection or large loads to the transmission system. The ANOPR docket, Docket No. RM26-4-000, generated more than 3,500 pages of public comments. The Show Cause Orders also come on the heels of a series of FERC’s actions over the past year designed to address large load growth. These actions include a December 2025 FERC order directing PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”) to adopt clear, transparent tariff rules for large energy users located at or near generation facilities, FERC’s January 2026 approval of Southwest Power Pool, Inc.’s (“SPP”) High Impact Large Load and High Impact Large Load Generation Assessment processes, as well as FERC’s June 2026 approval of SPP’s Conditional High Impact Large Load proposal.
FERC Issues NOPR Proposing Revisions to Annual and Quarterly Financial Forms
On June 18, 2026, FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) seeking industry comments on proposed revisions to various FERC annual and quarterly financial reporting forms. The NOPR proposes revisions to FERC Form Nos. 1 (Annual Report of Major Electric Utilities, Licensees, and Others), 1-F (Annual Report for Nonmajor…
FERC Addresses Arguments on Rehearing and Requires Additional PJM Tariff Revisions to Accommodate Co-Located Load
On June 18, 2026, FERC accepted in part and rejected in part requests for rehearing of its December 18, 2025, order (December Order) directing PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM) to revise its Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) to clarify and establish certain rates, terms, and conditions of service applicable to Interconnection…
Vanadium Has Entered the Chat
In this episode, Bill Derasmo sits down with Shane McBee, vice president of business development at Invinity Energy Systems, to unpack why vanadium may hold the key to solving one of the grid’s most persistent challenges. Invinity’s vanadium flow batteries (VFB) store energy in liquid electrolyte rather than solid electrodes, delivering virtually unlimited charge cycles, zero fire risk, and a lower lifetime cost than lithium-ion. McBee discusses how VFBs differ from competing chemistries through the real-world performance of some of Invinity’s projects, and what the growing appetite for long-duration storage means for the future of the grid. Listen in to learn how Invinity is making a compelling case that lithium-ion can’t go it alone as renewable capacity surges worldwide.
FERC Approves PJM’s Tariff Revisions for an Expedited Interconnection Track
On June 9, 2026, FERC accepted PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.’s (PJM) proposal to establish an Expedited Interconnection Track process for Generating Facilities (EIT Process). In doing so, FERC found that the EIT Process will help address PJM’s imminent resource adequacy needs by establishing an expedited interconnection process for a limited number of resources that are able to bring significant capacity onto the system quickly. The revisions were accepted effective June 10, 2026, and July 31, 2026.
FERC Approves ISO-NE Updated Market Rules for Distributed Energy Resources
On May 29, 2026, FERC approved revisions to the ISO New England, Inc.’s (ISO-NE) proposed market rules for the participation of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and to implement a one-time extension to the period in which resources are required to resume commercial operation following a forced outage. FERC held that the tariff revisions are just and reasonable because they address a gap in ISO-NE’s rules created during the Order No. 2023 compliance process wherein there was no longer a process for DERs to establish Network Resource Capability (NRC) and/or Capacity Network Resource Capability (CNRC), which are necessary to participate in ISO-NE’s markets, and because they balance needed resource flexibility while ensuring timely repair after an outage.
Solid Flow, Strong Future
Join host Vaughn Morrison for a conversation with Giovanni Damato, president of CMBlu Energy U.S., as they dig into the company’s long‑duration, water‑based battery technology. They discuss how CMBlu’s solid‑flow design delivers multihour energy storage using nonflammable, nonlithium materials, opening the door to more flexible project siting than traditional lithium‑ion systems. The episode also takes a closer look at CMBlu’s evolving supply chain strategy, from its current manufacturing base in Europe to plans for future U.S. facilities, and how the company is positioning itself to benefit from domestic content requirements and clean energy tax incentives.
FERC Denies Complaint Against PJM’s Transition Cycle No. 1 Process
On May 21, 2026, FERC denied a complaint filed by Gaston Green Acres Solar, LLC (Gaston) and Bethel NC Hwy 11 Solar, LLC (Bethel) (collectively, with Gaston, Complainants) against PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM) arguing: (1) PJM’s Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) is unjust and unreasonable because it prevented Complainants from withdrawing their generation projects from PJM’s generator interconnection process Transition Cycle No. 1 without penalty, and (2) in the alternative, FERC should order PJM to issue Bethel its own generation interconnection agreement (GIA) if PJM’s Tariff is not deemed to be unjust and unreasonable in this regard. FERC denied the complaint, finding the Complainants did not satisfy their burden under Federal Power Act section 206, failed to identify Tariff provisions requiring the issuance of a GIA for Bethel, and did not demonstrate that PJM violated its Tariff.
DC Circuit Dismisses Solar Developers’ Challenges to SPP Network Upgrade Cost Allocation for Lack of Standing
On May 19, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (DC Circuit) dismissed Cage Ranch Solar LLC’s and Cage Ranch Solar II, LLC’s (collectively, Cage Ranch) consolidated petitions for review of FERC orders denying Cage Ranch’s complaint and waiver request, which sought to set aside a deadline by which Southwest Power Pool, Inc.’s (SPP) tariff (Tariff) required Cage Ranch to post financial security for network upgrade costs to support its interconnection requests and maintain its queue position. The DC Circuit dismissed the petitions for failure to demonstrate a concrete injury in fact necessary to establish Article III standing.
FERC Proposes Increased Cost Limits and Other Changes to Natural Gas Blanket Certificate Program
On May 21, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proposed changes to its natural gas blanket certificate regulations to expand the scope and scale of projects that interstate natural gas pipelines may construct without a case-specific authorization order, and to increase the cost limits for such projects. In a companion order issued the same day, FERC extended a previously granted temporary waiver so that projects constructed and placed in service by May 31, 2028 may continue to rely on an increased prior-notice cost limit.