On November 21, 2024, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) filed an application at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC or Commission) seeking approval of a new Electric Rule No. 30 (Electric Rule 30) to address the interconnection of non-residential customers requesting retail electric service at transmission-level voltages between 50 kilovolts (kV) and 230 kV
PG&E Proposes New Electric Rule No. 30 for Transmission Level Electric Retail Service in Response to Rapid Increase in Transmission Level Demand and Data Centers
CAISO Interconnection Process Enhancements Proposal Faces Protest at FERC
CAISO’s Interconnection Process Enhancements proposal faces protests from independent power producers, clean energy organizations, and renewable energy developers at FERC. Challengers claim that CAISO’s scoring criteria provide undue influence to load-serving entities (LSEs) and may violate principles of open access.
CAISO’s proposal addresses the backlog in its interconnection queue by prioritizing projects in zones with
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 issues Final Rule on Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements
At the July 27, 2023, Open Meeting, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued long-awaited Order No. 2023, the Final Rule on Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements in Docket No. RM22-14-000. The rulemaking arose from the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Building for the Future Through Electric Regional Transmission Planning and Cost
CPUC Considers Party Proposals on Implementing New Prevailing Wage Requirements for Renewable Energy Projects in California
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC or Commission) is weighing party comments on implementation of Assembly Bill (AB) 2143. Enacted last year, AB 2143 will take effect on January 1, 2024. This bill extends existing prevailing wage requirements for public works to the construction of any renewable electrical generation facility, and any associated battery storage