Fortnightly Magazine - July 2013

Digest

NorthWestern Energy issues RFPs for 400 MW; FERC approves AEP's plan to spin off Ohio generation; NRG starts up 720-MW peaking plant in California; Dominion and FuelCell Energy break ground on largest North American fuel cell plant; U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin commission microgrid at Fort Bliss; Duke-American Transmission Co. acquires Path 15 transmission line from Atlantic Power; plus contracts and announcements involving ECOtality, TC Pipelines, S&C Electric, Black Hills Corp., and others.

Improving Capacity Markets

FERC decision on PJM mitigation is a model for other ISOs and RTOs.

Capacity markets have been a significant source of controversy since the inception of competitive wholesale markets. While there are many regulatory questions to be answered in constructing capacity markets, the primary goal of such markets should be to attract capacity that is competitively priced.

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