On Tuesday March 20, 2012*, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will consider the nomination of Tony Clark and re-nomination of Commissioner John Norris to FERC.

On February 27, 2012, FERC issued an order in Docket Nos. ER12-715 and EL-56 (not consolidated) allowing revisions in the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.’s (“MISO”) tariff, subject to clarification.  The proposed revisions would allow MISO to charge a Withdrawing Transmission Owner, defined as an owner of transmission facilities that withdraws its transmission facilities from the operational control of MISO after July 16, 2010, a monthly Multi-Value Project (“MVP”) usage rate that includes a share of the costs of all MVP projects that the MISO Board of Directors approved prior to the effective date of the transmission owner’s withdrawal.

On February 22, 2012, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (“DEC”) and Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc. (“PEC”) filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission a description of the revised merger-related market power mitigation plan it aims to submit to FERC next month (the “Revised Mitigation Plan”). 

On February 17, 2012, FERC issued notice of a technical conference on Reactive Power Capability.  The technical conference is being held to consider potential issues regarding the need for reactive power capability among newly interconnecting asynchronous generators and  the need and efficacy of continuing the process established for wind resources under Order No. 661-A. 

On February 16, 2012, FERC Chairman, Jon Wellinghoff, announced at the onset of the monthly meeting that the Commission is establishing a new Division of Analytics and Surveillance under the Office of Enforcement (“Enforcement”). 

On February 23, 2012, FERC staff issued a request for comments on proposed metrics to measure performance in regions outside of Regional Transmission Organizations (“RTO”) and Independent Systems Operators (“ISO”).  FERC, working in conjunction with the Edison Electric Institute and its members, has started the process of developing these metrics that will measure performance in regions outside of RTOs and ISOs.  These metrics are based upon metrics that were previously developed to measure performance within the regions of RTOs and ISOs.

On February 16, 2012, FERC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NOPR”) proposing to revise its regulations governing interstate natural gas pipeline business practices and standards.  FERC’s proposed rule would adopt and incorporate by reference, (with certain exceptions) certain standards adopted by the Wholesale Gas Quadrant of the North American Energy Standards Board (“NAESB”).