Regulators to Review Market Design and Reliability Following 2021 Polar Vortex
Over Presidents’ Day weekend 2021, an unprecedented cold weather event hit the Midwest and South central United States. The storm led to major disruptions to infrastructure throughout the region, including icy road conditions, frozen pipes, and an estimated 3 million Texans...
FERC Directs RTOs and ISOs to File Reports on Hybrid Resources
On January 19, 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”) issued an order directing each Regional Transmission Organization (“RTO”) and Independent System...
Is Hydrogen a Viable Alternative to Lithium Under the Current Energy Storage Regulatory Framework?
Treasury Releases Final Regulations on 45Q Carbon Capture Credits
Opposites Attract: How Oil & Gas and Renewables+Storage Are the Perfect Match
FERC Adopts Expanded Definition of Cogeneration QFs to Include Certain Fuel Cell Systems
On December 17, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) adopted a final rule (“Final Rule”) regarding the potential for certain fuel cell systems to attain qualifying facility (“QF”) status pursuant to Sections 201 and 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, as amended (“PURPA”)...
FERC Proposes Incentive-Based Rate Treatment for Cybersecurity Investments
On Thursday, December 17, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NOPR” or “Proposed Rule”) seeking comment on proposals that would allow public utilities to make a filing pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal Power Act (“FPA”) to seek incentive-based rate treatment for certain cybersecurity investments made to improve the security of the Bulk-Power System (“BPS”)...
FERC Offers Limited Clarifications on its PURPA Reform Order
By a November 19, 2020 Order on Rehearing, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”) clarified a discrete set of issues arising from its landmark July 2020 order (“Final Rule”)...
LIBOR LATEST - A Temporary Reprieve for USD LIBOR?
Often referred to as “the world’s most important number”, the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is used as the reference interest rate for a range of commercial and financial contracts worth hundreds of trillions of dollars globally. As market commentators and regulators have been highlighting for many months, the scale and complexity...
Post-Election Analysis from Bracewell’s Policy Resolution Group (PRG): Implications for U.S. Energy and Environmental Policy
The PRG Pulse 2020 Post Election Webinar
FERC Issues Settlement Order Reaffirming “Gaming” Prohibition in Power Markets
Last week the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an Order Approving Stipulation and Consent Agreement involving High Desert Power Project, LLC (High Desert) and Middle River Power LLC. (Middle River) to resolve allegations of market manipulation in the...
FERC Proposes Policy Statement Encouraging RTOs/ISOs to Develop Rules Incorporating State Determined Carbon Prices
On October 15, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) issued a Proposed Policy Statement regarding carbon pricing in organized wholesale...
FERC Issues Landmark Order on Distributed Energy Resources
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”) issued a landmark final rule, Order No. 2222, at its September 17, 2020 open meeting that aims to remove barriers for distributed energy...