Arizona Corporation Commissioner Nick Myers, chair of the Markets+ State Committee, said Jan. 24 he’s drafting a response to FERC’s requested compliance filing to clarify some of the key points raised in the commission’s approval of the day-ahead market’s tariff (ER24-1658).
Myers, vice chair of the ACC, told the MSC his letter will explain the regulatory group’s structure and how it will be funded by SPP. The MSC comprises regulators from most Western states who provide their perspective on Markets+’s development and operations.
“I think this reply would be more of an informal response, as it is a point of clarification other than actual comments, but open to feedback from you all,” Myers told the MSC. “I do think having as many as MSC members as possible behind that would be beneficial and helpful and also just keeps everyone on the same page with where these discussions are at moving forward.”
FERC conditionally approved the market’s tariff Jan. 16. The commission found the tariff still was “insufficiently clear” on some points and directed a compliance filing due Feb. 15. (See SPP Markets+ Tariff Wins FERC Approval.)
Commissioner Mark Christie (now chair) and Commissioner David Rosner filed a joint concurrence to FERC’s order, expressing their concern with governance and ensuring “robust” state involvement in the market’s development. They urged SPP to ensure the MSC, and its Regional State Committee in the Eastern Interconnection, can provide adequate independent staff support and the means to maintain dedicated staff, similar to the structures of the Organization of PJM States Inc. and Organization of MISO States.
The Western Interstate Energy Board currently serves as the MSC’s staff support. WIEB’s Gia Anguiano, who supports the MSC, said SPP staff will visit Christie and Rosner in Washington, D.C. this week to discuss their concurrence in a “little bit more detail.” She said there also have been discussions to have the two commissioners participate in an MSC meeting.
“[We] really want to get to the root of their concerns around [their concurrence] and see what we can do to further address it,” Anguiano said.
FERC Commissioner Judy Chang issued a separate concurrence that noted the tariff leaves some uncertainties about key market design details, such as transmission capability rules, greenhouse gas pricing and potential seams issues, between Markets+ and CAISO’s competing Extended Day-ahead Market.
“I think the biggest point in Commissioner Chang’s concurrence is just really to make sure that the market is operating at its greatest potential and for the consumer’s benefit,” Anguiano said.
SPP has said the compliance filing will require adding six sentences to and deleting one from the 650-page tariff. (See SPP Markets+ Tariff a ‘Home run’, Staff Says.)
