Advanced Energy United Reports

On June 29, FERC issued an order asking PJM to make significant changes to its capacity market.

This order came in response to concerns from traditional generators about “state subsidies,” namely RECs and ZECs, suppressing prices in capacity auctions.

A preliminary examination of proposed Dept. of Energy plans to support coal, nuclear plants

Advanced Energy Economy along with several energy trade group colleagues (API, AWEA, ELCON, EPSA and NGSA) commissioned an independent analysis of policy implementation and related direct costs of supporting uncompetitive coal and nuclear power plants proposed in a draft DOE memo released by Bloomberg News in May.

AEE submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) asking DOE to reject FirstEnergy Solutions’ March 29 request for an order under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act.

The request from an owner of power plants operating in competitive wholesale electricity markets is for emergency financial support for a wide range of coal and nuclear plants across the PJM Interconnection (PJM) region, which stretches from Maryland to parts of Ohio. 

On Sept. 30, the U.S. Dept. of Energy announced a proposed rulemaking for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under its authority in Section 403 of the Federal Power Act to urge FERC to provide out-of-market financial support to uneconomic coal and nuclear power plants.

This report by Analysis Group was commissioned by AEE and AWEA in order to independently answer questions asked by Energy Secretary Rick Perry about the reliability and market rules of the U.S. electric power grid.

In the report, Analysis Group finds it is market forces – primarily low-cost natural gas and flat demand for electricity – that are causing some coal and nuclear power plants to retire, and not state and federal policies supporting renewable energy development.