North America News

Latest news and developments from North America region

• NERC report highlights need for focus on grid resilience

  July 20, 2022
  The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has released the ‘2022 State of Reliability’ report, which has highlighted the need for strengthening the grid resilience of the US bulk electric system (BES).

• Colorado PUC increases penalty for USD1.7 billion project

  July 20, 2022
  The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC), in response to consumer advocates and utility customers’ petitions, has doubled the lateness penalty for Xcel Energy Inc., hiking the cost to as much as USD20 million if the power company fails to complete a 225-mile (360-km) portion of the USD1.7 billion Colorado Power Pathway project by the fall of 2025.

• WAPA issues ROD for 504 MW Rail Tie Wind project

  July 20, 2022
  The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) has issued a record of decision (ROD) approving two interconnection requests associated with ConnectGen's 504 MW Rail Tie Wind project in Southeast Wyoming.

• Pattern Energy acquires 525 kV SunZia transmission project

  July 20, 2022
  Pattern Energy Group has announced that it has acquired the first phase of the 525 kV SunZia transmission project from SouthWestern Power Group.

• US Court rejects complaints over FERC’s ruling on MISO’s cost allocation methodology

  July 19, 2022
  The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has rejected a complaint by Entergy and Xcel Energy utilities, seeking to overturn a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decision to set a cost allocation methodology for Midcontinent Independent Service Operator (MISO) projects that connect with the PJM Interconnection (PJM) system.

• FERC rejects Niagara Mohawk’s ROE request

  July 19, 2022
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected a request by Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation that it be allowed to recover its share of the planned USD1.2 billion Smart Path Connect project in upstate New York on a state-wide basis, as well as for an extra 0.5 per cent return on equity (ROE) to reflect the alleged risks of building the project.

• US DOI authorises construction of Ten West Link project [free access]

  July 18, 2022
  The US Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced that it has authorised the construction of the 500 kV Ten West Link Transmission Line project.

• SPP seeks FERC approval to establish new energy storage framework

  July 18, 2022
  The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) has sought approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to establish a new framework that treats energy storage resources as transmission-only assets.

• PJM’s interconnection queue reform proposal faces opposition from seven companies

  July 18, 2022
  PJM Interconnection LLC's (PJM) recent interconnection queue reform proposal faces opposition from a group of seven renewable energy developers – Acciona Energy USA Global LLC, ConnectGen LLC, Copenhagen Infrastructure IV GP Aps, Hecate Energy, Leeward Renewable Energy Development LLC, Scout Clean Energy LLC, and Tri Global Energy LLC.

• PUCT votes to increase budget for ERS

  July 18, 2022
  The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) has voted to raise the budget for the state’s industrial demand response programme, known as emergency response service (ERS).

• NYPSC approves National Grid’s request for 26 transmission projects [free access]

  July 15, 2022
  The New York State Public Service Commission (NYPSC) has approved the request of National Grid (upstate) to pursue the development of 26 transmission upgrades and modifications worth USD691 million, identified in the company's 2030 regional plan in support of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

• TDI withdraws tax break proposal for CHPE project

  July 14, 2022
  Transmission Developers Inc. (TDI) has withdrawn a proposal for a tax break approaching USD120 million over 30 years from the USD4.5 billion Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) project, with the Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), in response to opposition from local groups and officials.

• Invenergy proposes to increase Grain Belt Express project capacity

  July 13, 2022
  Chicago based-Invenergy transmission announced that it is increasing the capacity of its Grain Belt Express project.

• CAISO to revamp existing NGR model to support energy storage participation

  July 12, 2022
  The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) announced that it is working to enhance its Non-Generator Resource (NGR) model, which is used to estimate the ability of large energy storage facilities to participate in the wholesale power market so that they are in sync with the grid operator’s schedules and dispatch instructions.

• EIA reports increase in US battery storage capacity in 2021

  July 12, 2022
  According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), battery storage capacity in the US more than tripled in 2021, rising from 1,438 MW in 2020 to 4,631 MW. In 2021, more than 100 utility-scale projects went online.

• FERC grants rate adder and incentives for Smart Path Connect project

  July 11, 2022
  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved New York Power Authority’s (NYPA) request for a return on equity (ROE) risk adder and performance incentive for the Smart Path Connect project, provided that the state issues a certificate of need.

• MISO defends strategy of delaying DER participation in markets until 2030

  July 11, 2022
  In a filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) has claimed that its strategy of delaying aggregated distributed energy resource (DER) participation in its power markets until 2030, is appropriately tailored for the MISO region as it prevents DER aggregations from being double-counted in retail and wholesale markets.

• CAISO rejects Vistra’s claims over emergency interconnection process

  July 11, 2022
  The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reject Texas-based energy utility Vistra Corporation’s claim that the emergency interconnection process could give emergency resources preferential access to deliverable capacity, claiming they would only receive temporary interim deliverability, which represents unused transmission capacity.

• New York’s Empire State line comes into operation

  July 11, 2022
  NextEra Energy Transmission New York’s 345 kV Empire State line has become operational.

• Massachusetts EEA publishes 2025/2030 CECP to reduce emissions

  July 7, 2022
  The Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) has published the Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP) for 2025 and 2030, which represents the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ comprehensive plans to achieve aggressive emissions reduction through the next decade.