Return to Blog

Archive for the ‘Market Monitoring’ Category

Market Monitor – PJM Balancing Congestion Charge Change

On January 31, 2017 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order accepting PJM’s compliance filing that noted an underfunding in the PJM Financial Transmission Rights (FTR). The funding mechanism will be addressed by allocating balancing congestion charges to real-time load. As a result of FERC’s acceptance of the filing, all Load Serving Entities […]

View Here

Market Monitor – New York’s Clean Energy Standard

The New York Department of Public Service (DPS) in August gave final approval for the Clean Energy Standard for the State. This will require the state to generate 50% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030, as well as pay upstate nuclear power plants up to $956M over the next two years to […]

View Here

Market Monitor – Pacific Northwest Hydro Production Falls

Hydroelectric production levels in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) dropped significantly in August from both year-ago levels and from the previous month as well below-normal levels of precipitation during the month appeared to impact the availability hydropower supplies in the region. According to data from the US Army Corps of Engineers, total net electricity generation at […]

View Here

Market Monitor – RPS Massachusetts – UPDATED

Starting over a decade ago, the Massachusetts legislature began creating laws that require all suppliers of electricity (including utilities) to obtain a certain percentage of their electricity from renewables. The original legislation, called the Renewable Portfolio Standard or RPS, began in 2003 with all suppliers required to purchase 1% of generation from qualifying renewables. Since […]

View Here

Market Monitor – Southeastern US Natural Gas Outlook

Due to increases in power sector demand for gas, coupled with growing demand from the industrial sector in the region, overall natural gas demand in the Southeastern US is expected to grow by nearly 8 Bcf/d over the next 15 years. All these factors combine to create significant risk of higher natural gas basis prices […]

View Here

Market Monitor – FERC Ruling on Ohio PPAs

On April 27, 2016 FERC ruled in favor of groups challenging FirstEnergy’s and AEP’s long term electricity supply agreements. The ruling rescinded the previously granted section 205 waivers, which had allowed the utilities to purchase electricity from their affiliate generators, effectively invalidating the PPAs. Additionally it questioned the non-bypassable RRS rider proposed to fund the […]

View Here

Market Monitor – Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility

On April 19, 2016 the California legislature further amended the proposed expansion of regulations on underground storage of natural gas at the Aliso Canyon facility in Los Angeles County.  Although the current draft of the legislation focuses specifically on testing of all wells at Aliso Canyon, it includes a requirement that a complete retirement be […]

View Here

Market Monitor – Sharyland Utilities Rates

In 2002 Cap Rock Energy (CRE), a previously self-regulated cooperative, converted to an investor owned utility (IOU) and as such became regulated by the Public Utilities Commission of Texas (PUCT). Upon review by the PUCT in 2002, CRE’s rates were found to be below the actual cost of service. As a result of Sharyland Utilities […]

View Here