On August 9, 2019, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) ruled that hundreds of millions of dollars of ongoing and future investments by Chelan County Public Utility District (“Chelan PUD”) in the Rock Island Hydroelectric Project qualified as early-action investments under the new section 36(c) of the Federal Power Act (“FPA”).  Accordingly, FERC will consider these significant investments when the Rock Island Project undergoes relicensing of its FERC license prior to the 2028 expiration of the license.
Continue Reading FERC Approves First-Ever Determination on Early-Action Investment Credit Under Section 36 of the Federal Power Act

On July 18, 2019, FERC affirmed on remand its prior approval of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (“PG&E”) request for a return-on-equity (“ROE”) incentive adder to its transmission rates (“RTO-Participation Incentive”) for its ongoing membership in the California Independent System Operator Corporation (“CAISO”).  In its decision, which followed from a 2018 remand from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (“Ninth Circuit”), FERC reasserted its jurisdiction over such transmission incentive questions and determined that, absent a relevant mandate under California law requiring PG&E’s participation in CAISO, the RTO-Participation Incentive was warranted because it induces PG&E to continue its CAISO membership.
Continue Reading FERC Reaffirms PG&E Transmission Rate Incentive Eligibility

On June 20, 2019, FERC issued an Order on Voluntary Remand from the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”) directing PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”) to refund certain line loss over-collection amounts to certain virtual traders.  Upon re-examining its refund authority in light of recent court precedent, FERC determined that it has greater discretion to order refunds in cost allocation and rate design proceedings than it previously had determined.
Continue Reading On Voluntary Remand, FERC Requires PJM to Refund Over-Collected Line Losses to Certain Financial Marketers

On June 11, 2019, FERC accepted, suspended for five months, and set for hearing Southern California Edison Company’s (“SoCal Edison”) revised transmission owner tariff and formula rate (“Formula Rate”), which includes an increased base 2019 transmission revenue requirement (“2019 TRR”).  SoCal Edison’s proposed rate increase is intended to account for the increased financial risks associated with wildfires in California.   
Continue Reading FERC Sets for Hearing SoCal Edison’s Formula Rate Changes in Response to California Wildfires

On May 23, 2019, FERC issued a 10-year pilot license to the Igiugig Village Council (“Igiugig Village”) to construct, operate, and maintain its 70-kilowatt hydrokinetic project located on the Kvichak River near the town of Igiugig, Alaska (“Igiugig Project”).  The Igiugig Project will enable to Igiugig Village to test new hydrokinetic technology to power the Igiugig Village.
Continue Reading FERC Issues Pilot Project License to Alaska Hydrokinetic Project

On May 21, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) announced that its Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program is offering $6.6 million in new funding for projects that would add hydropower generating capabilities to existing dams throughout the U.S.  Qualified facilities will be selected for funding based on the number of kilowatt hours generated in calendar year 2018.
Continue Reading DOE Announces a New Round of Hydroelectric Incentive Funding

On May 16, 2019, FERC denied several rehearing requests and partially granted clarification of its Order No. 841 regarding the participation of electric storage resources (“ESRs”) in regional markets operated by Regional Transmission Organizations (“RTOs”) and Independent System Operators (“ISOs”) (“Order No. 841-A”).  Most notably, FERC upheld its decision not to adopt a state opt-out of ESR participation in wholesale markets.  Commissioner McNamee issued a partial dissent discussing the need to recognize states’ interests in the impacts of Order Nos. 841 and 841-A.
Continue Reading FERC Upholds Order on Electric Storage Participation in RTOs/ISOs

On April 26, 2019, PPL Electric Utilities Corporation (“PPL Electric”) petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”) for review of two FERC rehearing orders that replaced the cost allocation method by which PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”) assigns responsibility for a portion of costs for certain facilities that address stability-related reliability issues.  Specifically, FERC’s rehearing orders changed the cost allocation method used for certain facilities, including the Artificial Island Project (“Artificial Island”), that are located in the PJM region.
Continue Reading PPL Electric Petitions D.C. Circuit for Review of FERC’s Cost Allocation Method Determinations in PJM

Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) released an update (“2018 Update”) to its 2017 U.S. Hydropower Market Report (“2017 Report”).  The 2018 Update provides a status report on the U.S. hydropower industry as of the end of 2018, and includes publicly available data and information on existing U.S. hydropower facilities, including trends on capacity, generation, and new investment.
Continue Reading DOE Updates Hydropower Market Report

On April 23, 2019 FERC granted in part and denied in part a rehearing request (“Rehearing Order”) filed by American Municipal Power Inc. (“AMP”) of FERC’s February 5, 2018 order (“February 5 Order”) accepting PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.’s (“PJM”) revisions to amend its Open Access Transmission Tariff (“Tariff”) and Amended and Restated Operating Agreement (“Operating Agreement”) to improve the process for adding a pseudo-tied resource into the PJM region.  As part of this process, PJM proposed to incorporate two pro forma pseudo-tie agreements and a pro forma system modification reimbursement agreement (“Reimbursement Agreement”).  In the Rehearing Order, FERC granted AMP’s request on rehearing that the indemnification provisions of the Reimbursement Agreement should be consistent with related provisions in the pro forma pseudo-tie agreements.  FERC denied rehearing with respect to the compensation provision and the suspension and termination provisions in the pro forma pseudo-tie agreements.
Continue Reading FERC Grants Partial Rehearing of PJM’s Agreement Implementing Pseudo-Tied Resources