ISO and RTO Responses to FERC Data Requests Fail to Provide Clear Support for Proposed Gas Day Rulemaking
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recently employed the somewhat unusual device of issuing data requests to electric power industry participants in an attempt to obtain information that might support a controversial proposed rulemaking that would change the ways in which the natural gas and electric power industries interact. Not only did the responses fail to provide objective support for FERC’s proposal, they suggest that significant portions of the United States might not realize any benefit from the changes FERC has proposed.
In March 2014, FERC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NOPR”) in which it proposed to change the start of the “Gas Day” – the 24-hour period during which natural gas transportation through pipelines is nominated and scheduled – from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. Central Clock Time (CCT), and to make other changes to the natural gas transportation nominations schedule, to better coordinate the scheduling of natural gas and electricity markets (Docket No. RM14-2-000). The NOPR is part of FERC’s ongoing effort to promote electric supply reliability by encouraging improved coordination between the natural gas and electric power industries.
