News

INDIANAPOLIS, December 16, 2021 – This week Duke Energy Indiana announced what types of energy it expects to use to power homes and businesses in its coverage area over the next two decades, revealing plans to continue heavy use of fossil fuels despite more affordable advanced energy options on the market.

“Natural gas prices are rising and Hoosier ratepayers are already feeling the effects, but this plan by Duke Energy Indiana doubles down on a fuel that utility executives know is more expensive today and predictably volatile tomorrow,” says Sarah Steinberg, principal at Indiana Advanced Energy Economy (AEE). “It also delays the addition of advanced energy resources, like solar, wind, and battery storage, until the next decade, which will lock in higher bills for Hoosier ratepayers instead of making investments in more cost-effective options today.”

CARSON CITY, December 2, 2021 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) applauded Governor Sisolak for his appointments to the Regional Transmission Coordination Task Force, which includes policy leaders in the advanced energy industry, including Enel North America’s Mona Tierney-Lloyd.

The Task Force was created by Senate Bill (SB) 448* (2021) to study the costs and benefits of joining a regional organized wholesale electricity market and to recommend policies that facilitate utility entrance into a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) by 2030. A western RTO would harness competitive market forces and transparent planning processes to make energy more reliable and affordable for Nevadan ratepayers, and will also spur new private investment and job creation in the state.

“I’m honored to have this opportunity to serve Nevada and Governor Sisolak as the geothermal energy representative on the Regional Transmission Coordination Task Force,” said Mona Tierney-Lloyd, Head of State Public Policy and Institutional Affairs for Enel North America, an AEE member company. “Nevadans deserve all the benefits that come with a transition to clean, affordable, and reliable energy. My goal is that the policies this Task Force ultimately recommends will deliver these benefits.”

A western RTO would increase competition and lower energy costs for Coloradans 

DENVER, CO, December 1, 2021 — Today, national business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) commended the members of Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for acknowledging the consumer, environmental, and economic benefits of a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO). A new report by Colorado’s PUC found that electric utility participation in a regional wholesale market could reduce electricity costs for consumers by up to 5% annually while accelerating the state’s clean energy goals.

“Coloradans deserve the energy security and economic benefits that a Western RTO will provide, and going it alone is not an option we can stake Colorado’s energy future on,” said Emilie Olson, Principal at AEE. “This report shows that good regional planning and coordination with our neighbors is the answer to developing a clean energy system that lowers energy costs for households and businesses.

With a full complement of commissioners, FERC can remove market barriers to advanced energy, integrate distributed and renewable energy, and support new transmission to tap low-cost resources

WASHINGTON, November 16, 2021 – National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) released the following statement regarding the Senate confirmation of Chairman Willie L. Phillips of the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia to serve on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC):

WASHINGTON, November 5, 2021 – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and continued to advance the Build Back Better Act, paving the way for a historic investment in advanced energy.

RICHMOND, November 3, 2021 – Virginia AEE issued a statement congratulating Glenn Youngkin upon his victory and pledging to work with his Administration, as well as leaders in the General Assembly, on policies that will continue the growth of Virginia’s advanced energy industry, providing affordable, reliable, and clean electricity and transportation to all Virginians.

WASHINGTON, October 28, 2021 – Today, the White House presented a framework for a Build Back Better Act, which will guide the drafting of legislative language for Congress to consider.

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Groups advocated for a more inclusive, transparent, and cost-efficient energy market for the Southeast U.S. region

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 13, 2021 — Today, national business associations Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), Advanced Energy Buyers Group (AEBG), and Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) issued the following statement regarding today’s 2-2 split decision by FERC that will allow, by operation of law, a proposal by utilities to form a Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM):

“FERC missed an opportunity to ensure that SEEM is a stepping stone to a competitive wholesale electricity market that delivers substantial benefits to consumers,” said Jeff Dennis, Managing Director and General Counsel at AEE, which manages the AEBG. “The acceptance of SEEM without a FERC order allows the sponsoring utilities to move forward without any Commission direction on how the new platform should be implemented and with no conditions that would improve transparency as to the benefits SEEM will actually deliver in practice. Moreover, FERC appears to have passed on creating a forum to foster discussion with states and stakeholders regarding the future of wholesale power markets in the region. This result could allow utilities in the Southeast to lock in a subpar alternative that will not create meaningful savings for ratepayers and will do little to accelerate the adoption of advanced energy technologies, while allowing those utilities to cement their market dominance in the region.”

A utility-only exploration of options risks falling short of the urgency of the moment and failing to provide all the benefits that would come with a full-blown regional electricity market 

SAN FRANCISCO, Wednesday, October 6—National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) is calling on electric utilities in the West to support the development of a regional transmission organization (RTO) for Western states. Several energy companies recently announced plans to explore market options in response to state momentum for a regional solution to energy resilience challenges, a process AEE says should be done expeditiously and lead to the creation of a western RTO. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 29 — National business group Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) released the following statement in response to FERC’s split vote on PJM Interconnection’s proposed changes to the Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR):

“Today’s notice from FERC that PJM’s proposal to establish a more narrowly focused MOPR was approved by operation of law is good news for consumers and advanced energy businesses,” said Jeff Dennis, AEE’s managing director and general counsel. “By targeting capacity resources built pursuant to legitimate state policies for mitigation, the expanded MOPR imposed on PJM by FERC in 2019 threatened to increase costs for consumers, unjustifiably exclude advanced energy technologies from the PJM capacity market, and interfere with the achievement of state and customer clean energy goals. The narrowly-tailored MOPR that will now be in effect returns this market rule to its original purpose of addressing the narrow circumstances where it has been shown that capacity buyers have the actual incentive and ability to manipulate market prices.