This week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released the Sunshine Notice for next week’s monthly Commission meeting, and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) states urged FERC to speed up the process allowing distributed energy resources’ ability to participate in power markets. The Coalition of Renewable Gas objected to Florida Gas Transmission Company’s settlement offer, and the Sierra Club criticized the environmental impact statement for the Henderson Expansion Project.
FERC issues Sunshine Notice
FERC issued its agenda for next week’s monthly meeting. The agenda includes improvements to generator interconnection processes and transmission system planning for extreme weather. The Commission could issue two rulings related to Order 2222 compliance in the California and New York Independent System Operators.
OMS pushes for speedier implementation of DERs (ER22-1640)
The Organization of MISO States (OMS) encouraged FERC to require MISO to implement Order 2222 “in a timelier fashion.” The order will enable distributed energy resources (DERs) to participate in wholesale markets on a bigger scale.
The order is designed to ensure access to smaller energy sources such as rooftop solar panels, electric vehicles (EVs) and water heaters to be aggregated and bid into wholesale power markets. The deadline for implementation is 2030. OMS is pushing for a faster implementation date, saying that MISO is likely not to prioritize implementation unless FERC directs them to do so.
PJM Market Monitor requests rehearing over settlement offer (ER21-1696)
The Independent Market Monitor for PJM moved for a hearing in a case involving Bluestone Farm Solar LLC after disputing the solar company’s settlement offer following a rate dispute. The market monitor said the offer lacks a legal or factual basis and called it “arbitrary”.
The Coalition of Renewable Gas comments on RNG settlement (RP21-441)
The Coalition of Renewable Gas requests that FERC reject a settlement offer proposed by Florida Gas Transmission Company (FGT). The Coalition argued that FGT’s gas quality changes failed to comply with FERC’s Gas Quality Policy Statement.
The settlement does not support the new gas quality standards nor does it provide the fact-intensive showing FERC requires before the Commission can decide whether new gas quality standards are just and reasonable.
“In sending FGT back to the drawing board, other pipelines should be told not to follow the same approach for presenting RNG [renewable natural gas] gas quality standards to the Commission,” the Coalition argued.
Sierra Club comment on Henderson draft EIS (CP21-467)
The Sierra Club calls the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Henderson County Expansion Project flawed. Sierra Club objects to the failure of the EIS to characterize climate harm as significant or insignificant. The EIS also fails to comply with FERC’s legal obligations under the National Environment Policy Act.
“A revised EIS that complies with legal requirements and is factually reasonable will show that FERC should ultimately find the Project’s significant harms, including contribution to climate change and increase in air pollution in an already pollution burdened region, far outweigh any purported public benefits,” the filing stated.
