The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on July 23 will convene a technical conference to discuss the PJM Interconnection’s governance and stakeholder process, FERC said on May 12.
The conference will have “a particular focus on identifying and evaluating actionable reforms to improve PJM’s ability to address system needs in a timely and efficient manner,” FERC said in a notice.
The Commission will not discuss any specific proceeding pending before the Commission at the technical conference. Information will follow regarding the self-nomination process for individuals interested in participating as panelists (Docket No. AD26-7-000).
“We will invite PJM’s Board, executive management, representatives from the five membership sectors, investors, the IMM, state regulators and OPSI, consumer advocates, and perhaps experts from other RTOs to provide candid, concrete proposals for reform,” said FERC Chairman Laura Swett at PJM’s Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 12.
“This will not be another airing of grievances; it will be a work session to build a record eyed toward actionable change. This technical conference will be an opportunity to explore structural and procedural governance issues that are standing in the way of progress.”
Swett Says PJM "Faces Incredible Obstacles Not Shared by Other Markets"
“We all know that PJM faces incredible obstacles not shared by other markets,” Swett said at the meeting. “It sits at the crossroads of 13 states and DC with fundamentally different regulatory structures, resource portfolios, and politics; is divided between states with vertically integrated utilities that own generation, transmission, and distribution assets and other states that have various levels of restructuring and retail competition that rely on competitive markets,” she said.
“Difficulties acknowledged, we still expect PJM to run markets that are fair and efficient for everyone, to plan transmission across diverse jurisdictions, and to maintain reliability through extreme weather, shifting fuel mixes, and rapid technological change. If this can’t be landed given PJM’s huge and diverse footprint, perhaps it simply has grown too big to function," she said.
Selected portions of her address are available on FERC's website.
