Category — Regulation
FERC Technical Conference Addresses Reliability Issues and EPA Regulations
On November 29 and 30, 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) held a Commissioner-led Technical Conference on electric reliability issues. Of note, the Commission devoted an entire day of the conference to the impact of the EPA’s regulations on electric reliability. [Read more →]
December 5, 2011 Comments Off
DOE Releases Report on EPA Regulations and Resource Adequacy
On December 1, 2011, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) and EPA presented a united front in announcing the release of a DOE report, Resource Adequacy Implications of Forthcoming EPA Air Quality Regulations, which shows the EPA’s Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (“CSAPR”) and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (“MATS”) will not affect grid reliability. The report made the following conclusions: [Read more →]
December 5, 2011 Comments Off
A Boon for Renewable Energy Projects- Department of the Interior Proposes Reforms of Leasing Regulations on American Indian Land
On November 28, 2011, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk announced the beginning of a major reform of federal surface leasing regulations for American Indian Lands. The Department of the Interior, as trustee responsible for managing approximately 56 million surface acres in Indian Country, currently processes requests for land leases and subleases without a defined process or deadline for review. [Read more →]
December 5, 2011 Comments Off
White House to Review DOE Loan Guarantee Program as Flywheel Manufacturer Files for Bankruptcy
On October 28, 2011, White House Chief of Staff, William Daley, announced that there will be an independent analysis of the Department of Energy (“DOE”) loan portfolio, and particularly more than two dozen renewable energy loans and loan guarantees made by the DOE program. The review will be led by Herb Allison, a former U.S. Treasury official.
November 7, 2011 Comments Off
FERC Sets For Hearing Puget’s Tariff Revisions Regarding Intermittent/Non-Dispatchable Generators
In a case that highlights some of the regulatory challenges presented by shifts in the nation’s generation mix, on October 20, 2011, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) accepted Puget Sound Energy, Inc.’s (“Puget”) proposed Schedules 3 and 13 concerning rates for Regulation and Frequency Response Service, but suspended them for a five-month period, to become effective January 5, 2012, subject to refund, and set them for hearing and settlement judge procedures. [Read more →]
October 31, 2011 Comments Off
