It took three tries Dec. 9 before the Members Committee reached consensus on Tariff changes that will allow PJM operators more flexibility in dispatching demand response.

Under the new rules, resources will be dispatchable in 30 minutes beginning delivery year 2015/16 — down from a current two-hour default — unless they can demonstrate physical reasons for a longer dispatch.

The PJM proposal, backed strongly by transmission owners, failed with a sector-weighted vote of 55%, below the two-thirds threshold. A second proposal, which included an amendment to increase the maximum dispatch time to 120 minutes for state-authorized “mass market” DR programs, gained more support among electric distributors but still fell short at 57%.

The third vote cleared with 70% support despite erosion among transmission owners. It included the first amendment and a second one allowing industrial loads — part of the end-use customer sector — an exemption from the 30-minute requirement if needed to avoid damage to “product or feedstock.” (See Members OK DR Dispatch Rules after Late Amendments.)