Investor owned utilities have filed requests for rehearing of Order 1920-A, arguing accommodations for states intrude on their rights to file rates under the Federal Power Act.

FERC approved Order 1920-A, addressing rehearing arguments from the previous order by granting states more guarantees that their views on cost allocation would be considered, among other changes.

FERC issued Order 1920, its long-awaited final rule on long-term regional transmission planning and cost allocation, but it could not fulfill hopes for a unanimous vote.

FERC is set to vote on its long-awaited proposed rule on transmission planning and cost allocation for regional lines at a special open meeting May 13.

FERC appears to be nearing completion on its transmission planning rulemaking, with cost allocation rules and the federal ROFR among the issues at stake.

The clean energy and consumers groups endorsed a proposal requiring that transmission providers incorporate cost-benefit reporting mechanisms throughout their projects’ lifecycles. 

With FERC potentially issuing a final rule on transmission planning this year, the issue of whether it should curtail competition is the subject of dueling reports filed in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking’s docket.

FERC Chair Willie Phillips expressed confidence that the commission will approve its NOPR on transmission planning and cost allocation this year.