Written Comments Received
- AEE, NCEC, and Sunrun Comments
- Acadia Center, CLF, EDF, NRDC, Sierra Club, & Sustainable FERC Project Comments
- Community Action Works Comments
- Consumer Advocates of New England Comments
- Energy Analysis Comments
- Jennie Chen Submittal
- The Nature Conservancy Comments
- Brian Campbell Comments
Request for Written Comments
The New England states request written comments on the topics and discussions addressed in the governance reform technical forum held on February 25, 2021. Links to the recording and presentations are below.
Please provide any written comments by March 26, 2021 by submitting them to: governance@NewEnglandEnergyVision.com. Comments will be publicly posted on this website.
Recording – Governance Reform Technical Forum
The recording to the governance reform technical forum is available here:
The presentations from the governance reform technical forum are available here:
Final Agenda – Governance Reform Technical Forum
Registration information is available below as well as within the Final Agenda, available here:
Registration Link for Governance Reform Technical Forum
The Governance Reform Technical Forum will be held from 9am to 2pm on February 25, 2021. A registration link to the technical forum is available here: https://ctdeep.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_js41-0tyRPa3IsN1hC1I9A. A final agenda will be posted at a later date.
Draft Notice of Technical Forum on Governance Reforms
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Maine Governor’s Energy Office, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission, Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, and Vermont Department of Public Service (collectively, State Agencies) jointly announce a technical forum to be held on a date to be determined in February 2021 that will focus on governance reforms needed in ISO New England (ISO-NE) to more effectively advance the priorities outlined in the New England States’ Vision for a Clean, Affordable, and Reliable 21st Century Regional Electric Grid (Vision Statement).
The New England States remain concerned that the existing governance structure lacks the requisite transparency and accountability necessary for the public to have confidence in ISO-NE decisions related to resource adequacy, system planning, and operation requirements for the New England region. Further, the states expressed concern that the ISO-NE’s mission is misaligned with the New England States’ legal requirements, policy imperatives, and associated consumer interests. Through this technical forum, the State Agencies intend to gather information for developing a more consumer- and state-responsive governance framework in ISO-NE.
Interested stakeholders are encouraged to provide written comments following the conference. Further details regarding when and how to submit written comments will be forthcoming. Subsequently, the State Agencies will issue a joint summary of the issues identified and explanation of the potential solutions explored.
Given the ongoing pandemic, the State Agencies will host this technical forum in an online format with precise details to follow in a subsequent announcement. We welcome feedback on this proposed agenda, especially to the extent that any important topics are missing. Any feedback should be sent to Governance@NewEnglandEnergyVision.com.
Draft Agenda
Below we provide an overview of expected topics to be discussed at this technical forum. Any interested parties who would like to be considered to present on these topics, please contact Governance@NewEnglandEnergyVision.com with a brief biography and the perspective offered by the proposed presenter.
Please submit any feedback on the proposed topics to be discussed or other areas that you believe should be addressed to Governance@NewEnglandEnergyVision.com.
- Introduction and Opening Remarks:
- Welcome and ground rules
- Discuss overview of Vision Statement and Goals of this Conference
- Introduction to governance at ISO-NE:
- Who/what is ISO New England and NEPOOL?
- Discussion of ways states currently participate (e.g., NESCOE, NECPUC, Consumer Liaison Group)
- How are decisions made at ISO-NE (i.e., proposals brought through stakeholder process to board for approval)?
- How are board members selected?
- Who/what is ISO New England and NEPOOL?
- Identification and discussion of current problems with the governance structure in ISO-NE:
- The intent of this topic is to lay the foundation for why the current governance structure is no longer satisfactory and to help inform the next discussion on alternatives.
- State’s role in board member selection
- Lack of transparency with Board decisions because no public access to these meetings and only exceptionally high-level summaries of board meetings
- Why is this relevant for ratepayers in New England?
- Discussion of RTO/ISO governance best practices:
- Overview of governance structures in other regions and best practices.
- Transparency:
- Board meetings public?
- Key stakeholder meetings public?
- How are board members selected?
- Mission:
- Consideration of consumer costs?
- Support for state clean energy mandates?
- Transparency:
- How would these best practices be applicable to ISO-NE?
- Overview of governance structures in other regions and best practices.
- Are there alternative governance frameworks that have yet to be implemented that should be considered?
- Do existing ISO/RTO governance structures still make sense in light of the rapidly transitioning electric system and the roles of states in that transition?
- Are there elements of the current governance framework that should be retained going forward?
- Are there alternative frameworks to explore? If so, what would those look like and how do they comply with the fundamental components discussed above?
New England Energy Vision 