Following months of engagement and negotiation, the Markets+ Greenhouse Gas Task Force recently approved protocol language that defines the mechanisms that Markets+ will use to track and report on greenhouse gas emissions.
SPP’s Markets+ is a conceptual bundle of services proposed by SPP that would centralize day-ahead and real-time unit commitment and dispatch and pave the way for the reliable integration of a rapidly growing fleet of renewable generation, the grid operator notes on its website.
The Markets+ Greenhouse Gas Task Force is responsible for the development and oversight of policies and procedures incorporating emissions-related information to the reporting, price-formation, and commitment and dispatch of Markets+.
“The group’s vote was unanimous – with four entities abstaining – which is a tremendous achievement considering the diverse perspectives and interests represented among the 20+ participating entities,” said SPP spokesperson Derek Wingfield.
The task force will next recommend approval of their proposed language to the Markets+ Design Working Group, who in turn will present it for final approval by the Markets+ Participant Executive Committee (MPEC), a committee comprising representatives of every entity who has signed a funding or participant agreement to be part of Markets+ phase-one development.
The GHG design will be incorporated into the overall market protocols that will guide Markets+ build-out.
The phase of market development is scheduled to begin in early 2025, pending FERC approval of the Markets+ tariff and execution of funding and participant agreements by interested parties, all expected between now and the end of this year.
Markets+ is currently slated to go live in May 2027.
Members of the task force are:
- Mary Wiencke, Chair (Public Generating Pool)
- Clare Breidenich, Vice Chair (Western Power Trading Forum)
- Gabriel Aguilera New Mexico Public Regulation Commission
- Omaya Ahmad, Arizona Public Service
- Eric Blank, Colorado Public Utilities Commission
- Kyle Frankiewich, Tacoma Power
- John Hammond, Idaho Public Utilities Commission
- Ian Hunter, Snohomish PUD
- Janet Jaspers, Chelan PUD
- Alisa Kaseweter, Bonneville Power Administration
- Lauren McCloy, NW Energy Coalition
- George McGuirk, Xcel Energy
- Tony O’Donnell, Montana PSC
- Ann Rendahl, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
- Michael Robinson, Wyoming Public Service Commission
- Richard Seide, Grid Strategies
- Jeff Spires, Powerex Corp
- Alexander Tai, Tucson Electric Power
- Lisa Tiffin, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.
- Laura Trolese, The Energy Authority
- Sydney Welter, Western Resource Advocates
- Jessica Zahnow, Puget Sound Energy
