June 13, 2012
ERCOT Launches Mobile App Which Includes Energy Emergency Alerts
ERCOT has launched a free smartphone app which includes real-time Energy Emergency Alert notifications.
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June 13, 2012
Texas Commissioner Anderson: Nothing in Brattle Report Would "Cause Me to Change Where I Am"
The Public Utility Commission of Texas has directed Staff to begin a process to consider recommendations contained in The Brattle Group's report on resource adequacy.
June 12, 2012
FERC Imposes "Uncertain and Variable" Capacity Obligation on Retail Suppliers at Certain Midwest ISO Utilities
FERC accepted, with modifications, revisions to the Midwest ISO's Module E resource adequacy construct, and while FERC improved in some territories MISO's original proposal with respect to the assignment of capacity obligations to retail suppliers in retail choice environments, FERC's approved…
June 4, 2012
PJM to Modify Calculation Methodology for Marginal Losses
PJM has filed at FERC to modify the methodology for calculating marginal losses.
June 1, 2012
After Interviewing Generators, Brattle Claims Currently Proposed Texas Changes Would Not Assure Resource Adequacy
The Brattle Group's report on ERCOT Investment Incentives and Resource Adequacy, prepared at the request of ERCOT, claims that none of the PUCT's existing proposals addressing the energy-only market, "would likely support a target reserve margin consistent with the 1-in-10 criterion, unless much…
May 30, 2012
Ohio Commission Continues Above-Market Interim Capacity Charges at AEP Ohio
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio today continued the application of interim capacity charges at AEP Ohio which are above the RPM market price for capacity, reversing an earlier order which had stated that the interim rates were to cease, in favor of the RPM price, after May 31, 2012.
May 30, 2012
AEP Retail Says Capacity Prices in ATSI Zone Could Result in "Unlevel Playing Field" for Retail Suppliers
AEP Retail Energy Partners LLC has requested a modification to the procedural schedule regarding consideration of the FirstEnergy Ohio utilities' electric security plan (ESP) , and an opportunity to present additional testimony, in light of the results of the PJM Base Residual Auction for the…
May 25, 2012
Michigan PSC Will Establish Capacity Rate to be Paid by Retail Suppliers
The Michigan PSC will establish a state compensation mechanism governing the charges paid by retail electric suppliers for capacity provided by Indiana Michigan Power Company to retail suppliers under I&M's Fixed Resource Requirement (Case No. U-17032).
May 23, 2012
Calif. Draft States Intent to Impose Flexible Capacity Obligation on LSEs for 2014; Grants Retail Suppliers' Requested Coincident Peak Adjustment
The California PUC intends to adopt a framework for requiring load serving entities, including electric service providers, to fill flexible capacity needs by the end of 2012, for implementation in 2014, a proposed decision in the 2013 local resource adequacy (RA) proceeding states (R. 11-10-023).
May 22, 2012
ERCOT CDR Report Shows Improving Reserve Margins, Reliability Violation Moves Out One Year to 2014
ERCOT has released its May 2012 Report on the Capacity, Demand, and Reserves in the ERCOT Region, which shows improving reserve margins compared with the December 2011 forecast.
May 21, 2012
Capacity Market Price Blowout for ATSI Zone; Bodes Ill for Ohio Markets; Prices Generally Up Across RTO
A blowout clearing price of $357.00/MW-day for annual resources in the American Transmission Systems, Inc. zone resulting from PJM's Base Residual Auction for capacity for the 2015/16 period will no doubt have implications for several pending cases before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
May 18, 2012
PJM IMM Withdraws Complaint Over Capacity Sell Offer as Moot
The PJM Independent Market Monitor has filed at FERC to withdraw its complaint against the unnamed owner of an unnamed capacity unit which the IMM alleged was using modeling assumptions in its capacity sell offer that were inconsistent with the Minimum Offer Price Rule in the Reliability Pricing…
May 17, 2012
Commissioner Anderson Proposes Gentler Slope for Power Balance Penalty Curve In Light of Other Market Changes
The ERCOT Power Balance Penalty Curve (PBPC) should have a gentler slope and the starting energy bid price should remain at $200 given other changes to the market that have already been made, and are expected to be made, Commissioner Kenneth Anderson of the Public Utility Commission of Texas said in…
May 15, 2012
FERC Approves Payment of PJM Price Responsive Demand Credits to Load Serving Entities Only, For Now
Credits under PJM's price responsive demand (PRD) program, which reflect the capacity savings from the existence of the price responsive demand, will be paid only to load serving entities, and not non-LSE PRD providers, under a FERC order issued yesterday, but FERC will be monitoring the issue going…
May 11, 2012
Midwest ISO May Face "Operational Challenge" from EPA MATS Rule, Study Says
The Midwest ISO, "may face an operational challenge in managing outage scheduling," as coal units are compelled to comply with the federal EPA's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule, The Brattle Group found in a study released today .
May 8, 2012
Ohio Industrials Propose Use of Average RPM Rate for Capacity at AEP Ohio
The Ohio Energy Group, composed of several large industrial customers, has proposed in AEP Ohio's electric security plan proceeding that the capacity charge applicable to competitive retail suppliers taking capacity from AEP Ohio under the Fixed Resource Requirement should equal the average price of…
May 8, 2012
Turner, Davis Urge Caution on Raising ERCOT Price Cap, Cite Impact on REPs
Texas State Representative Sylvester Turner and Senator Wendy Davis filed separate letters to the PUCT Commissioners expressing concern with the proposed increase in the ERCOT system wide offer cap to $4,500 effective August 1, citing, in particular, the impact on retail electric providers.
May 4, 2012
NRG Integrated Model Shows How Mandatory Capacity Payments Would Force Retail Electric Providers to Subsidize Competitors
A discussion during yesterday's NRG Energy earnings conference call shows how Texas retail electric providers would be forced to subsidize their competitors if a mandatory capacity payment were introduced to the market.
May 3, 2012
PJM IMM Seeks FERC Determination That Capacity Supplier's Sell Offer Is Too Low
The PJM Independent Market Monitor has filed a complaint at FERC seeking a determination that various modeling assumptions, and the resulting sell offer, from an unnamed capacity supplier are invalid, and that the such assumptions must be modified to conform to the Minimum Offer Price Rule.
May 2, 2012
ERCOT Confirms That Rotating Outages "Not Likely"
ERCOT's latest Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy for the summer of 2012 confirms that, while Energy Emergency Alerts (EEA) are likely to be called on multiple occasions, "these EEA declarations are not likely to result in the need to institute rotating outages."
May 2, 2012
Texas Generators Shamelessly Seek Capacity Subsidies On Top of $7,000 Scarcity Prices
Despite an imminent increase in the ERCOT price cap to $4,500, and likely increase to at least $7,000 in 2014, several unregulated Texas asset owners continue to seek government subsidies in the form of capacity payments imposed on load.
May 1, 2012
Deafening Silence on Retail Choice Punctuates Entergy Texas MISO Application at PUCT
Entergy Texas, Inc. filed its application at the PUCT (40346) to transfer operational control of its transmission assets to the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.
May 1, 2012
FERC: AEP Formula Capacity Rate "May Be Substantially Excessive"
FERC accepted for filing but suspended for five months the formula capacity rate filed rate by Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) Company, an AEP company, that would be charged to retail suppliers taking capacity under I&M's Fixed Resource Requirement plan, as FERC's preliminary analysis, "indicates that…
May 1, 2012
Ohio Power Seeks to Extend Current Capacity Charges Applied to Retail Suppliers Beyond May 31
Ohio Power Company has petitioned PUCO to maintain the tiered capacity prices applicable to retail suppliers, including the $255/MW-day charge for competitive load in the second tier, until PUCO issues a merit decision in the capacity charge case (1 0-2929-EL-UNC).
April 30, 2012
Calpine to Build New Capacity in ERCOT for Summer 2014
Calpine announced Friday that it is actively permitting the addition of 520 MW of combined-cycle capacity at existing sites in ERCOT, with anticipated commencement of commercial operations by the summer of 2014.