On December 7, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) promulgated its long-awaited endangerment finding.  Evidently timed to coincide with the beginning of the international climate change negotiations in Copenhagen, the Agency’s finding states that elevated atmospheric concentrations of six greenhouse gases (“GHGs”) emitted by man – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride – are contributing to dangerous climate change.  [Read more →]

On December 10, 2009, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) Chairman Jon Wellinghoff testified on the technical issues related to integrating energy storage into the electricity grid at a hearing before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.  [Read more →]

On December 3, 2009, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or the “Commission”) denied Clipper Windpower Development Company, Inc.’s (“Clipper Windpower”) emergency motion and request for temporary waiver of part of the California Independent System Operator Corporation’s (“CAISO”) Large Generator Interconnection Procedures (“LGIP”).  In its motion, Clipper Windpower argued that the current security deposit requirements within CAISO’s LGIP would force it to post a $7.5 million deposit for upgrades that would cost approximately $4.6 million. [Read more →]

On November 25, 2009, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (“Army Corps”) filed a request for rehearing of FERC’s order requiring the Army Corps to comply with mandatory electric reliability standards.  [Read more →]

On December 2, 2009, the FERC approved an uncontested settlement between PJM Interconnection LLC (“PJM”), Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc (“Midwest ISO”), and Buckeye Power Inc., and dismissed a complaint by Buckeye Power.  [Read more →]