Josh Kessler, Author at Environment + Energy Leader

NY Approves Community Energy Aggregation Pilot

March 4, 2015 by Josh Kessler

On February 26, New York became the seventh state to allow municipalities to pool their residents’ and small businesses’ buying power. The state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) released a statement that it has approved a community choice aggregation (CCA) pilot program in Westchester Country. The Sustainable Westchester CCA will aggregate ... Read more »

California May Expand Retail Energy Choice

March 4, 2015 by Josh Kessler

In the wake of the California energy crisis of 2000 to 2001, which resulted in market manipulation by Enron and others that led to price spikes and rolling blackouts, the state rolled back its restructuring rules. In October 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 695, reinstating retail competition on a limited ... Read more »

Ohio Upholds Competitive Market Integrity

March 4, 2015 by Josh Kessler

On February 18, we reported that the Public Utility Commission of Ohio (PUCO) was reviewing two cases that would have exempted utilities AEP and FirstEnergy from standard competitive market rules. This week, PUCO announced that it is denying AEP’s request, according to Power Magazine. This ruling will likely serve as ... Read more »

Extreme Weather is the New Normal

March 4, 2015 by Josh Kessler

Extreme weather events are becoming the new normal, according to Penn Energy. For two consecutive winters, consumers across the Northeast have seen extreme snowfall and extended cold weather that have caused energy prices to spike. Throughout the eastern half of the country, cities have shut down as a result of ... Read more »

Prices Rise in 2018/2019 New England Power Auction

March 4, 2015 by Josh Kessler

According to the Independent System Operator of New England (ISO-NE) in regard to the completion of its 2018/2019 forward capacity market (FCM) auction, system-wide clearing prices rose significantly for existing resources for the second year in a row, which reflects the need for additional capacity resources in the region. The first ... Read more »

Electricity Market Manipulation in New England?

March 4, 2015 by Josh Kessler

Several parties have criticized oversight of the New England energy market over the past month. Last week, the New Hampshire Register reported that Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Syracuse business professor David Cay Johnston criticized the ISO-New England Forward Capacity Market (FCM) for enabling market manipulation. He alleged that the FCM ... Read more »

Wholesale Electricity Markets Explained

February 25, 2015September 23, 2019 by Josh Kessler

Why does wholesale pricing matter to retail buyers? If you are a retail energy buyer, why should you care about wholesale markets? Retail electricity pricing depends heavily on what takes place in wholesale markets. Understanding how wholesale pricing and markets work will give you a much clearer understanding of what ... Read more »

NYISO Proposes Changes to Shortage Pricing

February 25, 2015 by Josh Kessler

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) created the Fuel Assurance Initiative to address concerns about reduced power reserves and constrained natural gas capacity – and the associated costs and operational risks for New York energy consumers. As part of this initiative, NYISO filed a proposal with FERC to create a Comprehensive ... Read more »

IBISWorld Offers Natural Gas Procurement Guide

February 25, 2015 by Josh Kessler

Business intelligence firm IBISWorld released a report last week intended to give natural gas leverage in negotiations with suppliers. The report provides benchmark prices, 3-year price forecasts, supplier intelligence, RFP negotiation guidance, supply chain analysis, and a sample decision scorecard. The report suggests buyers have low negotiating leverage. It suggests that ... Read more »

MISO Customers Saved over $2B in 2014

February 25, 2015 by Josh Kessler

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) reported last week that it helped customers save between $2.2 billion and $3.1 billion in 2014 through improved grid reliability and power generation efficiencies. Qualitatively, MISO says this results from the price signals, planning coordination, and “seams management” that it provides. MISO estimates that, ... Read more »

NYC Explores Municipal Aggregation

February 25, 2015 by Josh Kessler

New York City is exploring Community Choice Aggregation (CCA). On February 17, the City submitted comments with the Public Service Commission on case 14-M-0224, which would create a framework to enable CCA in New York State. In its comments, the city deemed the concept “meritorious and worthy of consideration.” The ... Read more »

Icy Weather Brings Record Demand to PJM

February 25, 2015 by Josh Kessler

An arctic blast across much of the eastern half of the country last week led to record winter power demand across the PJM Interconnection, reports Lehigh Valley Live. The grid operator estimates that demand reached 143,800 MW at 8 pm Friday, February 20, a level that is common on hot summer ... Read more »

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