The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has conditionally accepted the first set of six compliance filings for the transmission planning process under Order No. 890, three of which are for regional transmission organizations (RTOs).
Order No. 890, issued in February 2007, reformed the pro forma open access transmission tariff (OATT) to clarify and expand the obligations of transmission providers to ensure that transmission service is provided on a non-discriminatory basis.
The detailed information provided in the proposals accepted brings more specificity as to how customers and other stakeholders should be treated in the transmission planning processes of utilities, RTOs and independent system operators (ISOs).
FERC accepted the following six compliance plans and directed certain modifications to each one. FERC also encouraged each transmission provider to refine and modify its planning process as experience is gained through implementation of the process.
– PJM Interconnection LLC. FERC accepted PJM's compliance filing subject to further modification to its cost allocation proposal and its local planning proposal.
– Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator Inc. (Midwest ISO) FERC accepted this plan subject to modification of its local planning proposal.
– Midwest ISO and American Transmission Co. Midwest ISO made this compliance filing jointly with American Transmission (underlying transmission owner of Midwest ISO). FERC accepted this compliance filing subject to further modification detailing American Transmission's proposal to recover its transmission planning costs.
– MidAmerican Energy Co. FERC accepted this compliance filing subject to further modification to MidAmerican's regional participation, cost allocation and economic planning studies principles.
– ISO New England, et al. FERC accepted this compliance filing subject to further modification to its local transmission system planning proposal, specifically to include a needs assessment provision.
– Maine Public Service Co. FERC accepted this compliance filing subject to further modification to its dispute resolution proposal and its cost allocation methodology.
Several other compliance filings remain pending at FERC and will be acted upon in future orders.
SOURCE: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
