Tuesday, September 12, 2017

USA: FERC Exploring Enhanced Compensation for Generators that Provide "Essential Reliability Services"

FERC evaluating enhanced baseload compensation, Chatterjee writes (Utility Dive)

Policy could boost geothermal energy development

FERC Acting Chairman Neil Chatterjee
The acting chairman of the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) was set to tell House lawmakers this week that his commission is exploring providing enhanced compensation for generators that provide "essential reliability services," Axios reports. 

A Tuesday hearing on the Department of Energy's grid study was cancelled due to delays from Hurricane Irma, but Axios obtained a copy of Acting Chairman Neil Chatterjee's opening statement in which he says FERC is evaluating "the compensation for providing such services, when appropriate."

The statement comes after the DOE's grid study called on federal energy regulators to explore how to better compensate generators for their reliability services, a recommendation that became the focus of a nomination hearing for two potential FERC commissioners last week.