Double Trouble in PJM's Capacity Market

Deck: 

Policymakers and industry seek a formula to assure competitiveness and resource adequacy.

Fortnightly Magazine - August 2012
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Recently, generator investment adequacy questions involving different independent system operators and regional transmission organizations (ISO-RTO) demonstrated challenges facing policy makers and market stakeholders in maintaining resource adequacy. These questions arise from market and regulatory dynamics, including low gas prices, new environmental regulations, high growth of variable renewable resource generators, and dissatisfaction by some regional stakeholders with market outcomes.

In May, PJM Interconnection conducted its annual auctions to secure electric capacity three years from now. As expected by most analysts, the Base Residual Auction (BRA) for delivery year 2015-’16 electric capacity cleared with moderately higher prices in most of PJM versus the prior year, due to retirements of coal plants. (See Figure 3)

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