The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has yet to approve the PJM Interconnection's plan for encouraging energy storage participation in the region, causing the grid operator to warn of potential implementation delays.
PJM is one of several grid operators that are awaiting FERC's nod on their individual energy storage plans under Order 841, a directive that aims to remove barriers for energy storage resources, such as batteries and flywheels, to more fully participate in U.S. wholesale power markets.
In an Oct. 8 filing, PJM said it would postpone its energy storage rules (FERC docket ER19-469), which the regional transmission organization originally proposed to take effect Dec. 3 unless FERC approved them by Nov. 3. If the commission accepts the tariff revisions after Nov. 3 the grid operator said it may seek a new deadline to implement the changes.
Issued in February 2018, Order 841 directed RTOs and independent system operators to establish market rules for accommodating storage resources in their capacity, energy and ancillary services markets based on those resources' physical and operational characteristics.
PJM filed its Order 841 tariff changes in December 2018, with FERC allowing a year from that date to implement the provisions. But the commission has yet to sign off on proposals from PJM and several other grid operators.
For instance, the Midcontinent ISO in May asked FERC to postpone the effective date for its Order 841 tariff changes (ER19-465) beyond the Dec. 3 deadline after revising the proposal in response to a deficiency letter from the commission. FERC has yet to approve the updated tariff revisions.
In addition, the New York ISO sought FERC's permission to delay its energy storage rules (ER19-467) to at least May 1, 2020, when making corrective amendments to the proposal. The NYISO made the request in late May, but FERC has not acted on the filing.
The commission also has yet to approve Southwest Power Pool's Order 841 filing (ER19-460) after SPP submitted additional information on the proposal in early May.
