In February 2018, as part of its efforts to remove barriers for electric storage resources, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its final rule on electric storage participation in organized markets (Order No. 841).  Order No. 841 directed Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs) to revise their tariffs to establish a participation model that recognized the physical and operational characteristics of electric storage resources.  FERC required that the participation model: (1) ensure that a resource is eligible to provide all capacity, energy, and ancillary services that the resource is technically capable of providing, (2) ensure that a resource can be dispatched and can set the wholesale market clearing price as both a wholesale seller and wholesale buyer, (3) account for physical and operational characteristics of electric storage resources through bidding parameters or other means, (4) establish a minimum size requirement that does not exceed 100 kW, and (5) specify that the sale of electric energy to an electric storage resource that the resource then resells back must be at the wholesale locational marginal price.

On Thursday, October 17, 2019, FERC issued its first two orders on Order No. 841 compliance filings – largely accepting the PJM Interconnection’s (PJM) and Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) Order No 841 filings.  FERC found that both PJM (Docket No. ER19-469) and SPP (Docket No. ER19-460) submitted tariff revisions that were consistent with Order No. 841 and proposed market rules that recognized the physical and operational characteristics of electric storage resources and that facilitate their participation in the market.  But, even though it was not directly addressed in Order No. 841, FERC also directed SPP and PJM to further amend their tariffs to specify minimum run-time requirements for resources adequacy and capacity requirements, respectively, for all resources types.  Furthermore, going further outside Order No. 841, FERC also instituted a paper hearing on PJM’s minimum run-time rules for capacity storage resources.

FERC has taken its first steps in establishing the electric storage participation model in individual markets, with more to come in the remaining organized markets.

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Photo of Jason Johns Jason Johns

Jason Johns advises independent power producers, utilities, investors, and large users of gas and power resources with matters arising in power markets and state and federal energy regulatory arenas. Jason appears regularly in proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and in negotiations…

Jason Johns advises independent power producers, utilities, investors, and large users of gas and power resources with matters arising in power markets and state and federal energy regulatory arenas. Jason appears regularly in proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and in negotiations at the ISO/RTO level, where he represents independent power developers and utilities. His experience includes negotiating major facility contracts, such as interconnection, transmission, and power purchase agreements; prosecuting disputes at FERC; and counseling and defending clients on issues related to regulatory compliance.

Jason also works closely with large commercial and industrial users of electricity and gas, such as aerospace companies, pulp and paper mills, steel mills, and tech company data centers. In that role, Jason helps clients negotiate power and gas supply contracts, interstate pipeline capacity asset management agreements, and pipeline bypass agreements. Jason has also assisted these clients with demand management agreements, the installation of on-site resources (such as battery storage, fuel cells, and solar PV), and with retail and wholesale power purchase agreements for renewable energy and other resources. Jason also serves as a board member of The Climate Trust, a national leader in carbon offset projects and innovative climate change solutions.

Jason and his wife are parents to two growing boys, and they live just outside of Portland, Oregon.

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