Utility Dive outlined the proposed Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM) and responses from FERC, citing a comment from AEE. Read snippets below and the full article here.

The renewables industry and other stakeholders looking for broader market reforms in the Southeast view SEEM skeptically, but the utilities behind the proposal say the plan is a modest yet important step to using resources in the region more efficiently.

FERC asked utilities in May to detail how the proposal would save customers money, how exactly market pricing will be determined, how it might impact utilities’ existing market power in the Southeast and for more details on the governance structure. SEEM utilities in response said they would increase transparency around the inner-workings of the market structure by providing "substantial" confidential data to FERC on a weekly basis, post public market auditor reports, and responses to other regulatory inquiries, among other things.

Intervenors in FERC's proceeding on the SEEM proposal, including the Solar Energy Industries Association, Advanced Energy Economy, the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) and the Advanced Energy Buyers Group argued in comments filed in March that the proposal was actually a "loose power pool," and should therefore be subject to FERC regulation. Further, they and other groups echoed FERC’s comments that the proposal was lacking in transparency and argued the proposal would likely only strengthen utilities' stronghold on the Southeast market.

Read the full article here.