ISO New England

Performance is What Counts

ISO New England’s capacity market proposal will bring reliability benefits to the region.

ISO New England CEO Gordon van Welie rebuts implications in a Fortnightly column about the ISO’s “Pay for Performance” capacity market proposal.

Unwinding the Death Spiral

Rooftop solar, net metering, and the perils of utilityspeak.

The Sierra Club accuses utilities of trying to snuff out rooftop solar. Attorney Donald Sipe recommends RTO/ISO markets for natural gas.

Digest

ISO New England approves Northern Pass transmission project; Southern California Edison selects Quanta PAR to build Tehachapi transmission line segments; Pennsylvania PUC approves PPL $335 million grid project; Southern Company completes smart grid investments; U.S. Army Reserve contracts ConEdison Solutions for efficiency and maintenance support services; plus announcements and contracts involving Honeywell, Stor Generation, Salt River Project, Landis+Gyr, Abengoa, Constellation, and others.

Northern Pass Secures Key Approval from ISO New England

The Northern Pass, a proposed transmission line carrying renewable hydroelectric power to New Hampshire and New England, cleared a regulatory milestone by securing 'I.3.9 approval' by ISO New England, the operators of the region's power grid. The I.3.9 process determines whether Northern Pass can reliably interconnect with the New England grid.

Yankee Retreat

A confluence of factors contributed to the Vermont Yankee shutdown decision, but a key driver was the very design of the Northeast power markets. Policymakers considering reform should take the long view, and ensure that price signals reflect market demands for energy, capacity, and resource diversity.
A confluence of factors contributed to the Vermont Yankee shutdown decision, but a key driver was the very design of the Northeast power markets. Policymakers considering reform should take the long view, and ensure that price signals reflect market demands for energy, capacity, and resource diversity.

Reliability by the Barrel

New England turns to fuel oil for the coming winter.

Burning oil when gas supplies are tight increases costs for customers. Is it also discriminatory?

Energy Disconnect

Misguided policies threaten resource adequacy.

Resource planning is grinding to a halt. From EPA regulations to irrational markets, today’s policy missteps threaten tomorrow’s reliability.

People (August 2013)

Dominion appoints Hunter Applewhite to lead Dominion Foundation; Lisa Johnson leaves Old Dominion to become CEO at Seminole Electric Cooperative; President Obama nominates former Colorado commissioner Ron Binz to chair FERC; Edison Electric Institute names its new officers; plus appointments and executive changes at AES, PG&E, Sempra, Ameren, Duke, and others.

Unleash the Genie

Former FERC Commissioner Bill Massey says we shouldn't bottle the genie of competition as Fortnightly author Doug Jones advocated in May 2013. Instead, he says, the genie's shackles should be removed so market forces can produce maximum efficiency and value for customers.

Looking Beyond Transmission

FERC Order 1000 and the case for alternative solutions.

How FERC Order 1000 gives short shrift to NTAs (non-transmission alternatives) in regional system planning—while consumers pay the price.