Summaries of the agenda items for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's monthly open meeting to be held on June 26, 2025, pursuant to the sunshine notice released on June 18, 2025.
In this issue…
- Electric Items
- Hydro Items
- Certificates
Electric
E-1 – Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (Docket No. ER24-2046-000). On May 16, 2024, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO) submitted a compliance filing, pursuant to Order No. 2023 and Order No. 2023-A, with respect to proposed amendments to the MISO Tariff. Order No. 2023, issued by the Commission on July 28, 2023, reformed the generator interconnection study processes of public utility transmission providers. Primarily, Order No. 2023 required that transmission providers employ a first-ready, first-served cluster study process for large generating facilities exceeding 20 MW. Order No. 2023-A, issued on March 21, 2024, extended the compliance deadline to May 16, 2024. Accordingly, in its compliance filing, MISO proposed to revise its pro forma Large Generator Interconnection Procedures (LGIP), Large Generator Interconnection Agreement (LGIA), Small Generator Interconnection Procedures (SGIP), and Small Generator Interconnection Agreement (SGIA). A number of entities and stakeholders filed substantive comments or protests raising such concerns as, among others, the imposition of an automatic penalty regime for study delays regardless of fault, the requested independent entity variation for evaluating alternative transmission technologies, and electric storage operating assumptions. On July 22, 2024, MISO submitted an answer responsive to many of the issues included in comments or protests. On May 23, 2025, MISO filed a motion for an extension of effective date, motion for a shortened response period, and request for expedited action. Agenda item E-1 may be an order on the Order No. 2023 compliance filing by MISO.
E-2 – Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (Docket No. ER24-2026-000). On May 16, 2024, Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP) submitted a compliance filing, pursuant to Order No. 2023 and Order No. 2023-A, with respect to proposed amendments to the SPP Tariff. Order No. 2023, issued by the Commission on July 28, 2023, reformed the generator interconnection study processes of public utility transmission providers. Primarily, Order No. 2023 required that transmission providers employ a first-ready, first-served cluster study process for large generating facilities exceeding 20 MW. Order No. 2023-A, issued on March 21, 2024, extended the compliance deadline to May 16, 2024. Accordingly, in its compliance filing, SPP proposed to revise its pro forma LGIP, LGIA, SGIP, and SGIA. Two entities filed limited protests, asserting that SPP did not adopt certain customer engagement window provisions which may lead to uncertainty for interconnection customers and that SPP did not properly interpret the directives of Order No. 2023 with respect to commercial operation date extensions. On June 21, 2024, SPP submitted an answer responsive to the issues included in the two limited protests. Agenda item E-2 may be an order on the Order No. 2023 compliance filing by SPP.
E-3 – Omitted
E-4 – Potential Enhancements to the Critical Infrastructure Protection Reliability Standards (Docket No. RM20-12-000). On June 18, 2020, the Commission issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) with respect to whether the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Reliability Standards sufficiently addressed the following topics: 1) cybersecurity risks pertaining to data security; 2) detection of anomalies and events; and 3) mitigation of cybersecurity events. A number of entities and stakeholders filed comments directly responsive to the questions posed by the Commission in the NOI, as well as emphasizing such issues as the suitability of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework in order to identify gaps, the focus of the NOI on low impact bulk electric system (BES) cyber systems, and the prospect of geographically distributed denial of service attacks on cybersecurity assets. Agenda item E-4 may be an order on the NOI.
E-5 – California Public Utility Commission, the California Department of Water Resources State Water Project; the Cities of Anaheim, Azusa, Banning, Colton, Pasadena, and Riverside, California; and the Northern California Power Agency v. San Diego Gas & Electric Company (Docket No. EL24-115-001). On May 31, 2024, the above-captioned entities (collectively, the California Parties) filed a petition for declaratory order and conditional complaint, pursuant to Sections 206 and 306 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) and Rules 206 and 207 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Commission, against San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E). The California Parties alleged that SDG&E refused to provide refunds as agreed to in the 2019 Fifth Transmission Owner Formula Rate Cate (TO5) Settlement. In the TO5 Settlement, SDG&E agreed that it would refund certain ratepayers in California the 50-basis-point return on equity (ROE) adder if the Commission issued an order finding that California electric utilities are not eligible for the California Independent System Operator Corporation (CAISO) voluntary RTO participation adder incentive. Subsequently, on December 29, 2023, the Commission issued an order confirming that California electric utilities are indeed not eligible for the RTO adder given that state law compels their participation in the CAISO market. Accordingly, the California Parties requested that the Commission direct SDG&E to issue refunds, with interest, back to June 1, 2019 as agreed in the TO5 Settlement. On July 1, 2024, SDG&E filed a motion to dismiss and protest, contending that the state law in question—California Assembly Bill 209—was in fact enacted in September of 2022. Assembly Bill 209 reaffirmed that the investor-owned utilities in California must participate in CAISO, of which SDG&E was expressly named. Further, SDG&E stated that the December 2023 order by the Commission applied to a different utility in California and is therefore not universally applicable. More generally, SDG&E asserted that a petition for declaratory order is the improper avenue for the California Parties to pursue a legal remedy and should not used when other procedural options are available, such as a motion to enforce the settlement. Finally, SDG&E clarified that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit previously held that California investor-owned electric utilities were entitled to the incentive adder (CPUC v. FERC, 29 F.4th 454, 466-67 (9th Cir. 2022)). On July 16, 2024, the California Parties submitted an answer responsive to the July 1 filing by SDG&E. On July 31, 2024, SDG&E submitted an answer responsive to the July 16 answer by the California Parties. On December 5, 2024, the Commission issued an order on the petition, finding that SDG&E was not eligible for the RTO adder in accordance with Assembly Bill 209 and that the law was passed after the Ninth Circuit ruling. However, the Commission declined to order SDG&E to issue refunds, such as that a declaratory order proceeding is not the proper vehicle to compel an entity to issue refunds. On January 6, 2025, SDG&E filed a request for rehearing of the December 5 order. On April 1, 2025, SDG&E, joined by Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Southern California Edison Company, filed a petition for review of the December 5 order at the Ninth Circuit (Case No. 25-1980). Agenda item E-5 may be an order on the rehearing request.
E-6 – San Diego Gas & Electric Company (Docket No. ER25-270-001). On October 30, 2024, San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) filed proposed revisions to its Transmission Owner (TO) Tariff, in order to adopt a new formula rate (TO6) as the successor to the currently effective TO5 formula rate, which will be terminated in accordance with the TO5 Offer of Settlement as approved by the Commission on March 23, 2020. As part of the TO6 rate proposal, SDG&E included the 50-basis-point RTO participation incentive adder (as described previously in agenda item E-5). Additionally, SDG&E stated that the TO6 formula capital structure will be based on the values it has reported in FERC Form 1 as well as the appropriate depreciation rate. Several entities, including the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), filed respective requests for a five-month suspension, protests, motions for summary disposition, and hearing and settlement procedures. Namely, CPUC alleged that SDG&E is not eligible for the CAISO participation ROE adder, the incomplete analysis with respect to wildfire risk and mitigation resulted in an overstated ROE, and the inputs to the formula rate lack sufficient transparency. Ultimately, CPUC stated that the ROE as requested by SDG&E for the TO6 formula rate would not be just and reasonable. On December 31, 2024, the Commission issued an order rejecting in part and accepting in part the proposed TO6 formula rate, and establishing hearing and settlement judge procedures. In the order, the Commission found that SDG&E is no longer eligible for the RTO adder based on California state law. The Commission acknowledged that, based on its preliminary analysis, the proposed TO6 formula has not been shown to be just and reasonable and, therefore, the outstanding material issues are best evaluated and resolved through hearing and settlement judge procedures. On January 30, 2025, SG&E filed a request for rehearing of the December 31 order. In the ensuing months, multiple settlement conferences have been convened. On May 15, 2025, SDG&E submitted an informational filing, notifying the Commission that it has revised its input for the ROE participation adder from 50-basis-points to zero, consistent with the December 31 order. Agenda item E-6 may be an order on the rehearing request.
E-7 – Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (Docket Nos. ER24-2797-001, ER24-2871-001); Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (Docket Nos. ER24-2798-001, ER24-2825-002). On August 16, 2024, Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO) and the Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP) concurrently submitted proposed revisions to the MISO-SPP Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) between the two parties. Namely, the submissions outlined the implementation of the Joint Targeted Interconnection Queue (JTIQ) framework, whereby the RTOs will proactively implement a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to affected system studies as well as develop a portfolio of backbone network upgrades in both regions to facilitate the interconnection of numerous facilities of new generation resource in both footprints. Several entities and stakeholders filed motions to intervene and substantive comments, including concerns with respect to cost causation policies and cost allocation effectuated by Order No. 2023. Certain parties raised the issue of the proposal to eliminate the fundamental distinction between Energy Resource Interconnection Service (ERIS) and Network Resource Interconnection Service (NRIS). According to Shell New Energies US, LLC, for instance, the proposed study criteria will prevent generator interconnection customers from receiving the primary benefit of ERIS interconnections (i.e., the option to assume the risk of curtailment rather than being required to fund network upgrades). On November 13, 2024, the Commission issued an order accepting the proposed revisions to the JOA, subject to condition and a compliance filing due 30 days within the issuance of the order. Multiple parties filed requests for rehearing of the November 13 order, asserting that the Commission presumed that the costs of transmission infrastructure will be roughly commensurate to the benefits, which would disproportionately favor new generation facilities that would require new high-voltage transmission upgrades. Two public service commissions, Mississippi and Arkansas, filed a joint request for rehearing based mainly on the conclusion that the JTIQ would not confer new benefits to MISO South load, and that the Commission evaluated that claim in the proposal based on out-of-date methodology. Agenda item E-7 may be an order on the rehearing requests.
E-8 – Puget Sound Energy, Inc. (Docket Nos. ER22-2361-000, ER22-2361-001). On July 12, 2022, Puget Sound Energy, Inc. (Puget Sound) submitted a compliance filing in accordance with Order No. 881. The Commission issued Order No. 881 in December 2021 in order to incorporate a new attachment to the pro forma Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) Attachment P, Transmission Line Ratings. The new attachment required that all transmission providers use ambient-adjusted ratings for evaluating near-term transmission service. On June 15, 2023, the Commission issued an order accepting the compliance filing with an effective date of July 12, 2025, subject to further compliance. On April 29, 2025, Puget Sound submitted a motion for an extension of time, until July 12, 2025, in order to fully implement the requirements of Order No. 881. Agenda item E-8 may be an order on the motion for an extension of time.
E-9 – PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (Docket No. ER25-785-002). On December 20, 2024, PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM) filed proposed revisions to the PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff (PJM Tariff), pursuant to Section 205 of the FPA. In the filing, PJM stated that the proposed revisions would update its market power mitigation rules and extend the capacity must-offer requirement to all available Existing Generation Capacity Resources, in light of the significant amounts of Intermittent Resources, Capacity Storage Resources, and Hybrid Resources. PJM proposed to include such new resources, once placed in-service, as supply in the PJM Reliability Pricing Model (RPM) in order to account for capacity that is available to the PJM system, similar to all other Existing Generation Capacity Resources. Accordingly, PJM proposed to sunset the categorical exemption from the capacity must-offer requirement applicable to Intermittent Resources, Capacity Storage Resources, and Hybrid Resources beginning with the Base Residual Auction for the 2026/2027 Delivery Year. PJM also sought to update the Market Seller Offer Cap (MSOC) rules so that Sell Offers of Capacity Resources, including those of Intermittent Resources, Capacity Storage Resources, and Hybrid Resources, can better reflect the full cost of such resources receiving a capacity obligation. PJM requested an effective date of February 21, 2025 due to the deadline of February 24, 2025 for Capacity Market Sellers to request to remove a resource from Capacity Resource Status. PJM conceded that, if the Commission does not issue an order approving the proposed revisions prior to that date, the revisions would likely be implemented for the 2027/2028 Delivery Year so as to avoid further delay of the 2026/2027 Base Residual Auction (BRA).
A number of parties and stakeholders filed comments, protests, and motions to consolidate proceedings with other ongoing dockets — including a complaint filed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania pursuant to Section 206 of the FPA — that also aimed to reform certain aspects of the PJM capacity market design prior to conducting the 2026/2027 BRA. Certain comments and protests raised issues, including but not limited to: the revised formula of the Capacity Performance Quantifiable Risk which would allow resource owners to offer into capacity auctions at the greater of the avoided cost rate or a previously approved value; the potential imposition of Performance Assessment Interval penalties on resources that are already reflected in their respective (lower) capacity accreditation values; and the proposed elimination of the categorical exemption from the capacity must-offer requirement. On January 8, 2025, PJM submitted an answer in opposition to the respective motions to consolidate, stating that the matters before the Commission are separate and distinct, and consolidation could impair the efficient resolution of the matters prior to the 2026/2027 BRA.
On February 20, 2025, the Commission issued an order accepting the revisions to the PJM Tariff and directing PJM to submit a compliance filing. On March 6, 2025, PJM submitted the compliance filing, providing details with respect to specific modifications to implement a minimum MSOC such that each subsequent segmented offer cap would be greater than prior segments, in order to prevent the frontloading of costs in the first segment. On March 19, 2025 and March 21, 2025, respectively, the Independent Market Monitor for PJM and the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and the Sustainable FERC Project filed requests for rehearing of the February 20 order. Agenda item E-9 may be an order on the rehearing requests.
E-10 – Grant Solar, LLC (Docket No. ER25-2005-000). On April 18, 2025, Grant Solar, LLC (Grant Solar) filed a request for a prospective and limited waiver of the commercial operation date (COD) milestones in the Generator Interconnection Agreements, as amended, for its planned solar generation facility. Grant Solar also sought a waiver of COD-related provisions in the Generator Interconnection Procedures of the MISO OATT. In the request, Grant Solar stated that a waiver is necessary to provide the certainty necessary to execute a power purchase agreement to supply capacity to an electric utility in Minnesota within the MISO footprint and to continue to move forward with the project as planned. Agenda item E-10 may be an order on the waiver request.
E-11 – LSP Transmission Holdings II, LLC, LS Power Midcontinent, LLC, Central Transmission, LLC, and LS Power Grid DRS Holdings, LLC v. Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (Docket No. EL25-55-000). On February 4, 2025, LSP Transmission Holdings II, LLC, LS Power Midcontinent, LLC, Central Transmission, LLC, and LS Power Grid DRS Holdings, LLC (collectively, Complainants) filed a complaint against MISO, pursuant to Sections 206, 306, and 309 of the FPA. Complainants asserted that MISO has violated its OATT by treating an Indiana incumbent preference law (House Enrolled Act 1420) as an applicable law even though the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana had enjoined its implementation. According to Complainants, MISO has stated that a preliminary injunction does not affect the applicability of the law. Complainants contended that, by ignoring the enjoinment, MISO would exclude over $1 billion in proposed transmission additions in Indiana, in accordance with the Competitive Transmission Process in the MISO OATT, due to the preliminary injunction being in place on or after January 13, 2025. A number of stakeholders filed comments and limited protests. On February 24, 2025, MISO submitted a response to the complaint, contending that Complainants did not demonstrate any violation of the MISO OATT and that MISO did not err in its application of certain provisions that give effect to state laws and regulations establishing the rights of first refusal to develop transmission projects approved in the MISO Transmission Expansion Plan. Agenda item E-11 may be an order on the complaint.
E-12 – Branch Street Solar Partners, LLC (Docket No. QF19-881-002); Picture Rocks Solar, LLC (Docket No. QF13-22-002); Sol Orchard San Diego 21 LLC (Docket No. QF13-653-002); Sol Orchard San Diego 22 LLC (Docket No. QF13-654-002); Sol Orchard San Diego 23 LLC (Docket No. QF13-655-002); Sol Orchard San Diego 20 LLC (Docket No. QF13-656-002); Klamath Falls Solar 2, LLC (Docket No. QF15-719-003). On August 5, 2022, MN8 Energy LLC (MN8 Energy), on behalf of its portfolio companies that directly own qualifying facilities (QFs), submitted an informational filing to notify the Commission of its intent to recertify the 455 small power production QFs in order to reflect a material change that occurred on August 4, 2022. On November 14, 2024, MN8 Energy filed respective refund reports in order to preemptively resolve potential delays in recertifying certain QFs between the period of a March 6, 2020 to December 28, 2020, which involved the acquisition of all of the membership interests by Goldman Sachs Renewable Power LLC. Agenda item E-12 may be an order on the refund reports.
E-13 – Critical Infrastructure Protection Reliability Standard CIP-015-1 – Cyber Security – Internal Network Security Monitoring (Docket No. RM24-7-000). On June 24, 2024, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) filed a petition for the approval of a proposed new Reliability Standard, CIP-015-1, pursuant to Section 215(d)(1) of the FPA and Section 39.5 of the regulations of the Commission. According to NERC, the proposed Reliability Standard would advance reliability of the bulk electric system by establishing requirements for internal network security monitoring for network traffic inside an electric security perimeter. Specifically, NERC stated that the new Reliability Standard would address directives set forth by the Commission in Order No. 887 that tasked NERC to provide and oversee such protections. Several parties filed comments supporting the new Reliability Standard. Agenda item E-13 may be an order on the proposal by NERC to add CIP-015-1 as a new Reliability Standard.
Hydro
H-1 – Unique Places, LLC (Docket No. P-7987-016). On October 5, 2023, as supplemented on October 20, 2023, November 3, 2023, and November 13, 2023, UP Property 2, LLC (UP Property) submitted an Application for Surrender of Exemption for the High Falls Hydroelectric Project No. 7987 under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, 16 USC §§ 2705, 2708. The primary purpose of UP Property's application for surrendering the exemption at this site is to enable dam removal for conservation purposes including restoring and connecting habitat for the federally endangered Cape Fear Shiner. Additionally, dam removal will also provide conservation benefits of the federally threatened Atlantic Pigtoe. On January 5, 2024, Moore County, North Carolina submitted a Motion to Intervene and Protest opposing the Application for Surrender of Exemption. On January 19, 2024, Southern Environmental Law Center submitted comments in support of the Application for Surrender of Exemption. Several other individuals and parties submitted Comments and Motions to Intervene. On January 31, 2025, the Office of Energy Projects issued the Environmental Assessment for Surrender of Hydropower Exemption and Removal of Project Facilities for the High Falls Hydroelectric Project. On June 4, 2025, the Commission issued a Notice of Transfer of Exemption indicating that by letter filed May 8, 2025, Jeff Fischer, Manager, UP Property 2, LLC, exemptee informed the Commission that the exemption from licensing for the High Falls Hydroelectric Project No. 7987, originally issued September 12, 19841 has been transferred to Unique Places, LLC. Agenda item H-1 may be an order on the Application for Surrender of Exemption.
H-2 – Premium Energy Holdings, LLC (Docket No. P-15307-000). On March 13, 2023, Premium Energy Holdings, LLC (Premium Energy) filed its preliminary permit application for the Haiwee Pumped Storage Project, FERC Project No. 15307. On July 27, 2023, the Commission issued a deficiency letter for the preliminary permit application. Premium Energy submitted its deficiency letter response on August 2, 2023. On January 23, 2024, the Commission issued a Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions to Intervene, and Competing Applications re Premium Energy Holdings, LLC's Haiwee Project under P-1530. Various parties filed motions to intervene and comments on the preliminary application. Agenda item H-2 may be an order on the preliminary permit application.
Certificates
C-1 – Texas Connector Pipeline, LLC (Docket No. CP24-512-000). On August 12, 2024, Texas Connector Pipeline, LLC (Texas Connector) filed an Abbreviated Application to Amend the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (Amendment Application), pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), 15 U.S.C. § 717f(c). The Amendment Application sought modifications to the certificate issued by the Commission on April 18, 2019, in Docket No. CP17-21-000 authorizing Port Arthur Pipeline to construct, own, and operate the Texas Connector Project. See Port Arthur LNG, LLC, 167 FERC ¶ 61,052 (2019). In the Amendment Application, Texas Connector is seeking to amend the Texas Connector Project, to consist of approximately 31-mile, 42-inch diameter feed gas pipelines, five pipeline laterals, and six meter stations. The amended Texas Connector Project would extend north from the Port Arthur Phase II Liquefaction Project (Phase II Liquefaction Project) to the Orangefield Compressor Station in Orange County, Texas, and will deliver a proposed maximum of 2,050 MMSCF/d capacity under Rate Schedule Enhanced Hourly Firm Transportation (EHFT) to the LNG terminal, where the natural gas will be cooled into a cryogenic liquid form, stored, and exported via LNG ships for the Phase II Liquefaction Project. On March 21, 2025, the Commission issued the Environmental Assessment for the Texas Connector Project. Agenda item C-1 may be an order on the Amendment Application.
C-2 – Rover Pipeline LLC (Docket No. CP24-508-000). On August 2, 2024, Rover Pipeline LLC (Rover) filed an abbreviated Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN Application). In the CPCN Application, Rover proposed to construct and operate aboveground facilities and new pipeline delivery and receipt point interconnections within and adjacent to Rover's Mainline easement in Hancock County, Ohio (Rover-Sunny Farms Project). The Rover-Sunny Farms Project receipt interconnection would receive up to 6,269 dekatherms of natural gas per day from and the delivery interconnection and would deliver up to 7,893 dekatherms of natural gas per day. On September 27, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service submitted Comments on the Environmental issues of the Rover-Sunny Farms Project. On January 24, 2025, the Commission issued the Environmental Assessment for Rover-Sunny Farms Project. On January 28, 2025, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service submitted Comments and Recommendations in response to the Environmental Assessment. On February 26, 2025, the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 submitted Comments in Response to the Environmental Assessment. Agenda item C-2 may be an order on the CPCN Application.
C-3 – Enbridge Offshore Facilities, LLC and Oceanus Pipeline Company, LLC (Docket No. CP25-260-000). On April 23, 2025, Enbridge Offshore Facilities, LLC and Oceanus Pipeline Company, LLC filed a Petition for Declaratory Order, requesting that the Commission issue an order stating that the operation of two pipelines located in lands offshore from the State of Louisiana would not be subject to the Commission's jurisdiction under the Natural Gas Act. Agenda item C-3 may be an order on the Petition for Declaratory Order.
1 Order Granting Exemption from Licensing of a Small Hydroelectric Project of 5 Megawatts or Less. Cook Industries, Inc., 28 FERC ¶ 62,352 (1984).
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