FERC, NERC Issue Joint Report Identifying Beneficial Practices for Grid Restoration and Recovery
On January 29, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC" or the "Commission") and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation ("NERC") issued a Report on the FERC-NERC-Regional Entity Joint Review of Restoration and Recovery Plans (the "Report"). The Report was the result of a joint review initiated by FERC in September, 2014 and conducted in coordination with NERC and the NERC Regional Entities. The joint review examined a representative sample of nine registered entities with significant bulk power system responsibilities, with the stated objective of: (i) assessing and verifying the electric utility industry's bulk power system recovery and restoration planning; and (ii) testing the efficacy of related NERC Reliability Standards in maintaining and advancing reliability. [Read more]
FERC General Counsel Testifies Before the House Subcommittee Regarding Proposed Modifications to the Federal Power Act
On February 2, 2016, the General Counsel of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC"), Max Minzner, testified before the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power for the United States House of Representatives ("Committee") regarding two proposed bills that would amend the Federal Power Act ("FPA"). One bill would modify Section 203 of the FPA to set a minimum threshold value of $10 million on the merger or consolidation of facilities belonging to public utilities that would be subject to FERC approval. A second bill, H.R. 2984, would amend Section 205 of the FPA to permit a party to seek rehearing and subsequent appellate review of any rate change filed pursuant to that provision that takes effect without FERC action. Going forward, the Committee may consider the testimony in deciding how to act on the proposed bills. [Read more]
FERC Denies NRG Complaint Alleging MISO's Modified Pricing Nodes Lead to "Worthless" Financial Transmission Rights
On February 1, 2016, FERC denied a complaint filed by NRG Power Marketing LLC ("NRG") against the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. ("MISO") alleging that MISO violated its tariff when it modified the Commercial Pricing Nodes ("CPNodes") in the MISO South region to reflect the incorporation of Entergy into MISO. In particular, NRG claimed MISO's modifications to the CPNodes effectively nullified the results of the Financial Transmission Right ("FTR") auctions and rendered the FTRs purchased by NRG in those auctions "valueless." [Read more]
FERC Issues Notice of Reliability Technical Conference
On February 3, 2016, FERC announced that it will hold a technical conference on June 1, 2016 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM to discuss policy issues related to the reliability of the bulk-power system. FERC stated that it will issue an agenda for the technical conference at a later date. The Commission has held similar technical conferences on policy issues related to reliability on an annual basis for the last few years (see April 21, 2014 edition of the WER). [Read more]
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