News Release:
December 19, 2019
Docket Nos. EL16-49-000, EL18-178-000
Order: E-1
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today acted to protect the competitive capacity market administered by PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM) by directing PJM to expand its current Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) to address state-subsidized electric generation resources, with certain exemptions.
Today’s action reaffirms and builds on FERC’s June 29, 2018, order, which found that out-of-market payments provided, or required to be provided, by PJM states to support operation of certain generation resources threaten the competitiveness of PJM’s capacity market.
That order ruled PJM’s open access transmission tariff is unjust and unreasonable because the MOPR failed to address the price-distorting impact of resources receiving out-of-market support.
“FERC is affirming our obligation to safeguard the competitiveness of the PJM capacity market,” FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee said. “I recognize, and wholeheartedly respect and support, states’ exclusive authority to make choices about the types of generation they support and that get built to serve their communities. They still can do so under this order.
“But the Commission has a statutory obligation, and exclusive jurisdiction, to ensure the competitiveness of the markets we oversee,” Chatterjee added.
“An important aspect of competitive markets is that they provide a level playing field for all resources, and this order ensures just that within the PJM footprint.”
PJM now has 90 days to comply with the order, and at that time is to provide the Commission with a new timeline for the next auction.
Today’s PJM MOPR Order At A Glance
R-20-10