FERC on May 2 accepted a compliance filing by ISO-NE and New England transmission owners eliminating interconnection customers’ responsibility to pay for the operations and maintenance costs of network upgrades (ER25-1324).  

The commission ordered an additional filing to address potential issues regarding refunds for O&M costs incurred after its initial ruling in December 2024. (See FERC Sides with New England Developers on Interconnection Complaint.) 

“The compliance filing largely complies with the [commission’s] directive to remove from the tariff any language providing for the assignment of O&M costs for network upgrades to interconnection customers,” FERC wrote. 

The commission also accepted tariff changes broadening the definition of an “interested party” in the New England TOs’ formula rate protocols, which should enable a wider range of groups to participate in proceedings. 

NEPOOL, RENEW Northeast, Advanced Energy United and the Alliance for Climate Transition supported the filing, while the New England Power Generators Association and CPV Towantic expressed concern it inadvertently would limit refunds to payments made after the December order, leaving out advance payments for costs incurred after. 

FERC directed ISO-NE and the TOs to make an additional filing within 30 days “to clarify that network upgrade O&M costs accrued on or after Dec. 19, 2024, will be returned to the interconnection customer, regardless of whether the interconnection customer made advance payments prior to” that date.