On March 28, 2014, FERC announced it will hold a technical conference to explore opportunities for increasing real-time and day-ahead market efficiency though improved software.  FERC’s announcement stated that the discussion at the June 23-25, 2014 conference will include the research and steps required to implement improvements to market modeling in a variety of areas.

In anticipation of the conference, FERC requested proposals for presentations on the following topics and questions:

  • Stochastic modeling for unit commitment and operating reserves;
  • Optimal transmission switching;
  • AC optimal power flow modeling;
  • Transmission limit modeling;
  • What improvements have occurred in linear programs, nonlinear programs and mixed integer programming for faster and/or better solutions? and
  • What new and more efficient approaches to loop flow and joint dispatch have been developed?  How much inefficiency exists in the current process?

In the notice, FERC highlighted that discussion of these topics should note any advances that were made from a related technical conference held last year and allow for discussion of areas that need improvement.  FERC also noted that nominations for speakers and presenters must be submitted by April 16, 2014, and can be submitted here.  FERC will also accept comments after the conclusion of the conference, due by July 31, 2014.

A copy of the notice is available here.