CPES Policy Committee Update: July 12, 2016

This update features policy, regulatory, legislative, and regional developments in Connecticut and New England. The policy updates are compiled by a team recently formed with support from CPES, known as the New Energy Professionals. If you are interested in learning more about the New Energy Professionals, the Policy Committee, or if you have ideas for future policy updates, we would welcome your input and feedback. Please send comments to Paul Brady, CPES Executive Director, via email: pbrady@ctpower.org.

This week’s features:

  • PURA Reverses Position on Combined-Heat-And-Power (CHP) Facilities
  • ISO NE release guide for participation in Forward Capacity Market
  • The 2016 Connecticut regular session ended on May 4, 2016.  We will continue to track any legislative items in Connecticut that may be of interest to you.  In addition, we will begin tracking other state legislative actions in the region.

 

Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

PURA reverses earlier decision on combined-heat-and-power (CHP) facilities

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has issued a final decision reversing its earlier ruling regarding eligibility for combined-heat-and-power (CHP) facilities for certain distributed generation incentives. In response to a request for a declaratory ruling by Yale University, PURA had earlier ruled that repowered CHP facilities would not be eligible to receive distributed generation incentives as the facilities did not constitute “new” facilities eligible for the incentives under the statute. At the request of Yale University, additional CHP generators, and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, PURA reversed its earlier ruling, finding the repowered CHP facilities would serve an important role in Connecticut’s distributed energy portfolio. The PURA’s final decision is available at the following link.

 

Regional and Industry Developments

Updated ISO New England Forward Capacity Market (FCM) Participation Guide Available

ISO New England has released an updated version of its Forward Capacity Market (FCM) Participation Guide with information on how to complete processes associated with the FCM. The guide provides an overview of the capacity market, the qualification process, auction mechanics, post-auction processes for new resources, reconfiguration auctions and capacity supply obligation (CSO) bilateral periods, and options for temporarily or permanently removing capacity from the market.

Please visit the ISO Newswire for more information.

 

CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION:

Information about the Energy and Technology Committee, including committee meetings and public hearings, is available at: https://www.cga.ct.gov/et/

 

MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATION:

Information about the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, including hearings and bills in committee, is available at: https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J37

The following recent events may be of interest to you:

  • On June 30, 2016, the Massachusetts Senate passed 2372 (An Act to promote energy diversity).  On July 7, 2016, the House did not concur with the Senate amendments (H.4385:  An Act to promote energy diversity) and a committee of conference was appointed.  On July 8, 2016, the Senate insisted on its amendments and named members to the committee of conference.