On April 9, 2026, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) hosted a meeting on Tribal engagement in long-term transmission planning. The purpose of the meeting was to share information about transmission planning and development in California, engage Tribal community members and leaders in dialogue on the development of CAISO’s Tribal Engagement Policy, receive input from Tribal
CAISO Proposes Key Refinements to Interconnection Processes Ahead of Cluster 16
On October 13, 2025, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) released its Draft Final Proposal for Interconnection Process Enhancements (IPE) 5.0—continuing its multi-year effort to modernize and streamline the interconnection process for new energy resources. The proposed reforms build on lessons learned from Cluster 15, previous IPE tracks, and stakeholder feedback.
Highlights of CAISO’s
PJM Files Reliability Resource Initiative at FERC Requesting Expansion of Transition Cycle #2 for Reliability Resources
Overview
On December 13, 2024, PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (“PJM”), filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) a modification to Part VII of its Open Access Transmission Tariff (“Tariff”), adding provisions to enable a one-time reliability-based expansion of the eligibility criteria for Transition Cycle #2 to allow a limited number of additional resources to enter
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Issues Long-Awaited Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation Final Rule
On May 13, 2024, at a special transmission reform meeting, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) issued Order No. 1920 “Building for the Future Through Electric Regional Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation” (Final Rule).[1] The Final Rule builds upon Order No. 888, Order No. 890, and Order No. 1000, which developed
CAISO Releases Addendum to Interconnection Process Enhancements Final Proposal Ahead of Board of Governors Meeting
On Thursday, May 9, 2024, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) issued an addendum to its Interconnection Process Enhancements (IPE) Track 2 Final Proposal, and issued a revised version of that addendum on May 17. Track 2 focuses on modifications to the interconnection and queue management processes to address the substantial interconnection request volumes in
Stakeholders Express Concern That CAISO’s Interconnection Scoring Criteria May Prioritize Load-Serving Entity Selection
Background
The California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) recently issued Interconnection Process Enhancements (IPE) final proposal[1] provides heightened requirements to complete an interconnection request and relies on scoring criteria to determine which projects advance to the interconnection study process. Due to the proposed 150% cap on specific interconnection zones, not all interconnection requests in each
CAISO Releases Interconnection Process Enhancements Final Proposal
Summary
On March 29, 2024, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) released the Track 2 final proposal for its Interconnection Process Enhancements (IPE) initiative. The proposed changes in the IPE proposal aim to address the “unprecedented and unsustainable interconnection request volumes” in the CAISO. CAISO proposes to adopt a zonal approach that prioritizes project interconnection in areas with existing or planned transmission capacity, to cap the number of projects permitted to proceed into the study process at 150% of the available and planned transmission capacity in specific zones, and adopt scoring criteria for eligibility and prioritization in the interconnection study process.
Continue Reading CAISO Releases Interconnection Process Enhancements Final Proposal
FERC Proposes Broad Reforms to Interconnection Process
At its June 16, 2022, open meeting, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements, 179 FERC ¶ 61,194 (2022), proposing reforms to the Commission’s standard generator interconnection procedures and agreements. The goal of the NOPR is to reduce queue
Biden Administration Proposes Rollback of Trump Administration Migratory Bird Rule
This post was co-authored by Stoel Rives summer associate Lydia Heye.
In May, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) announced a proposed rule revoking the Trump administration’s final rule on incidental take under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (“MBTA”). In the January 7, 2021 final regulation, the Trump administration interpreted the MBTA’s take prohibition
FERC Rules on Order No. 841 Compliance Filings
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