ColumbiaGrid Planning Agreement Wins FERC Acceptance

April 24, 2007

ColumbiaGrid, a non-profit membership corporation formed in 2006 to improve the planning and operation of the Northwest transmission grid, has received FERC acceptance of its Planning and Expansion Function Agreement (Agreement) with its members and with Snohomish County PUD, a non-member party to the agreement. ColumbiaGrid's current members are Avista Corp. (Avista), Bonneville Power Authority (BPA), Chelan County PUD, Grant County PUD, Puget Sound Energy (Puget Sound), Seattle City Light and Tacoma Power. Completion of the Agreement comes as good news to parties that have weathered several stymied efforts to create such an organization in the northwest region.

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posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 11:07 AM by Andrea Kells  

PJM Board Orders Investigation after Market Monitor Challenges PJM Management over Independence 

At a FERC conference on the role of market monitors in the power industry, a simmering dispute between PJM Market Monitor Joe Bowring and PJM management surfaced when Mr. Bowring accused PJM management of interfering with its independence. The role of market monitors, including their chain of command, was the key issue in the conference. Moving past more academic concerns, Mr. Bowring aired his dispute with management.  

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Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2007 2:17 PM by Gunnar Birgisson