Below is a summary of the issues scheduled to be brought to a vote at the PJM Markets and Reliability Committee meeting Thursday. Each item is listed by agenda number, description and projected time of discussion, followed by a summary of the issue and links to prior coverage in RTO Insider.

RTO Insider will be in Valley Forge, Pa., covering the discussions and votes. See next Tuesday’s newsletter for a full report.

Consent Agenda (9:10-9:15)

PJM will ask for endorsement of revisions to:

B. PJM Manual 13: Emergency Operations, incorporating event analysis updates.

C. PJM Manual 14D: Generator Operational Requirements, adding guidance associated with distributed energy resource ride through.

E. Manual 27: Open Access Transmission Tariff Accounting, addressing the implementation of the annual calculation of the border rate and the impact on firm point-to-point transmission service charges.

1. FTR Product Range and Auction Process (9:15-9:35)

The MRC will consider the first round of financial transmission rights credit-related policy changes after a two-week deferral. (See “FTR Vote Deferred,” PJM MRC/MC Briefs: Dec. 5, 2019.)

PJM said the recommendations, initially presented at the committee’s October meeting, will improve its credit risk policies after the Financial Risk Mitigation Senior Task Force delegated a more holistic FTR market review and possible design changes to a separate Market Implementation Committee task force. (See “FTR Market Rule Changes,” PJM MRC Briefs: Oct. 31, 2019.)

But some stakeholders expressed concerns earlier this month about the ripple effect the revisions may have on market design. The MRC agreed to delay a vote in hopes of finding compromise and moving the changes ahead.

2. Competitive Transmission Proposal Fee (9:35-9:45)

Stakeholders could endorse a new fee structure for competitive transmission proposals developed by PJM to better reflect the costs of its new comparative framework. (See “PJM Unveils Flat Fee Cost-containment Plan” in PJM PC/TEAC Briefs: Aug. 8, 2019.)

3. Comparative Cost Framework (9:45-10:05)

Along with the new fee structure, the MRC must sign off on corresponding Manual 14F language that memorializes the process, including the Independent Market Monitor’s role in reviewing proposals.

The language has been mired in wordsmithing after transmission owners objected to revisions that they said inappropriately capped certain costs. (See PJM TOs Wary of Cost Containment Rules.) There’s also been an ongoing debate over language codifying a collaborative role between PJM and the IMM in evaluating competitive proposals.

PJM deferred voting on both the fee structure and manual language at the Dec. 5 MRC meeting in order to further fine-tune language regarding these issues. (See “Comparative Cost Framework, Opportunity Cost Calculator in Flux,” PJM MRC/MC Briefs: Dec. 5, 2019.)

4. Real-time Values Problem Statement and Issue Charge (10:05-10:25)

Stakeholders will consider endorsing an issue charge that would address PJM-identified issues with the misuse of real-time values in parameter limited scheduling. (See “Real-time Values, Parameter-limited Schedules,” PJM MRC Briefs: Dec. 5, 2019.)

5. Governing Document Revisions for Parameter-limited Schedules (10:25-10:55)

PJM will seek endorsement of Tariff and Operating Agreement revisions that will correct language surrounding parameter-limited schedules (PLS) accidentally introduced with PJM’s Capacity Performance construct filing.

The RTO said the primary issue is that current language suggests that PJM can commit resources on their price PLS offer or cost-based offer during times that are in conflict with other sections of the Tariff and the OA.

The Monitor, however, says the PJM should modify the way it implements PLS to conform with the governing documents.

6. Modeling Generation Senior Task Force (MGSTF) (10:55-11:10)

The MRC will consider implementing near-term solutions of hourly differentiated segmented ramp rates at the recommendation of the Modeling Generation Senior Task Force.

The MGSTF developed the solutions to improve resource modeling for “complex resources” in PJM’s market clearing engines, including combined cycle units, coal units with multiple mills and pumped hydro.

7. Fuel Security Senior Task Force (FSSTF) (11:10-11:40)

The MRC will be asked to endorse recommendations from the Fuel Security Senior Task Force on next steps for potential governing document changes.

The task force, assembled in March, has been investigating what market responses to conditions could lead to fuel insecurity and assessing whether the current market construct is sufficient to cure the problem. (See PJM Stakeholders Reluctantly OK Fuel Security Initiative.)

– Christen Smith