On Friday, March 30, 2012, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the “Commission”) conditionally approved a proposal from the Midwest Independent System Operator (“MISO”) to change its generator interconnection queue procedures to address backlogs and late-state terminations of generation interconnection queue agreements (FERC Docket No. ER12-309-000). The new procedures are effective January 1, 2012. The reforms … Continue Reading
FERC Clarifies Qualifying Facility Restrictions in Sale/Resale Transactions On May 19, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") issued an order in Idaho Wind Partners I, LLC, a docket in which wind farm owners in Idaho petitioned FERC for approval of a unique transaction that would both provide eligible Renewable Energy Credits ("RECs") to a utility … Continue Reading
The Upper Midwest Transmission Development Initiative (UMTDI) issued its final report last week on transmission planning and cost allocation issues associated with delivering renewable energy from wind-rich areas to the region’s customers. Through UMTDI, the governors of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin collaborated to identify six renewable transmission corridors that could serve as … Continue Reading
From our colleague Sarah Johnson Phillips: Much to the relief of wind developers in the Midwest, the Midwest ISO has backed off a plan to charge new and existing generators 20% of the cost of new transmission needed to meet renewable energy development goals. Yesterday, the Midwest ISO released its final cost allocation proposal, which … Continue Reading
From our colleague and FERC guru, Jason Johns: MISO’s Proposed Market Coordination Service: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today rejected the Midwest ISO’s proposed Market Coordination Service that would have given certain transmission owners access to the ISO energy and operating reserve markets without requiring those owners to hand over control of facilities or share … Continue Reading