RTO Insider Daily Headlines

RTO Insider Daily Headlines for September 30, 2026. In this episode: • MISO’s Market Monitor Needs a Record the Public Can Trust (RTO Insider commentary) MISO hired EY-Parthenon to examine how it oversees its Independent Market Monitor. Its preliminary findings have produced a disagreement worth resolving. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146949-miso-market-monitor-needs-a-record-the-public-can-trust/ • PJM Stakeholders Present Terms of Governance Changes (RTO Insider) PJM, several consumer advocates and a coalition of members presented the Members Committee with term sheets laying out how to rework the RTO’s governance and stakeholder process. https://www.rtoinsider.com/147011-pjm-stakeholders-present-terms-of-governance-changes/ • Wash. PUDs Settle with Feds over Canadian Entitlement Share (RTO Insider) Three Washington public utility districts have settled ongoing litigation with the federal government over their collective share of the Canadian Entitlement under the Columbia River Treaty between the U.S. and Canada. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146999-wash-puds-settle-feds-canadian-entitlement-share/ • NRC Authorizes TVA to Build 1st U.S. Small Modular Reactor (RTO Insider) The TVA said a construction date has not been set and cost-sharing negotiations with industry partners still are underway. https://www.rtoinsider.com/147009-nrc-authorizes-tva-build-1st-us-small-modular-reactor/ • Utilize Coalition Report Lays out Strategies for Increasing Grid Use (RTO Insider) The Utilize Coalition released a policy paper laying out how the effective use of transmission and distribution infrastructure can be measured over time. https://www.rtoinsider.com/147001-utilize-coalition-report-designing-state-programs/ Chapters: 00:07 Introduction 00:14 Commentary: MISO’s Market Monitor Needs a Record the Public Can Trust 00:28 PJM Stakeholders Present Terms of Governance Changes 00:43 Wash. PUDs Settle with Feds over Canadian Entitlement Share 00:58 NRC Authorizes TVA to Build 1st U.S. Small Modular Reactor 01:11 Utilize Coalition Report Lays out Strategies for Increasing Grid Use 01:24 Subscribe Read these stories and more at W-W-W dot R-T-O Insider dot com. Music provided by BreakzStudios.

RTO Insider Daily Headlines for September 29, 2026. In this episode: • The Next Frontier of Grid Resilience: Wildfire Prevention and Utility Asset Protection (RTO Insider commentary) The next frontier in grid asset protection is not simply responding to fires faster, but deploying targeted solutions that reduce the likelihood of ignition and spread before a fire starts, writes industry leader Wes Bolsen. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146163-next-frontier-grid-resilience-wildfire-prevention-utility-asset-protection/ • DTE Proposes Gas Plants, Storage, Renewables in IRP (RTO Insider) DTE Electric is pitching an all-of-the-above-except-coal energy mix in its 2026 Integrated Resource Plan, reaffirming its commitment to end coal use by 2032. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146928-dte-affirms-coal-phaseout-in-latest-irp-submission/ • FERC Approves $425K in NERC Penalties (ERO Insider) FERC approved penalties against TransAlta, NLPC and Pepco for violations of NERC reliability standards. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146922-ferc-approves-425k-in-nerc-penalties/ • IESO Proposes New Capacity Accreditation Method for Future Procurements (RTO Insider) IESO is recommending marginal reliability impact as its method for accrediting capacity in future procurements, moving away from its current reliance on unforced capacity. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146833-ieso-proposes-new-capacity-accreditation-method-future-procurements/ • PGE Says Oregon PUC Order on Holding Company Proposal is Too Strict (RTO Insider) Portland General Electric rejected the Oregon Public Utility Commission’s conditional order approving the utility’s proposed holding company structure, saying tighter controls on dividends would restrict “ordinary business activities” and limit necessary investments. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146926-pge-says-oregon-puc-conditions-holding-company-plan-too-strict/ • Texas Nuclear Summit Speakers See Bright Future for Industry (RTO Insider) Speakers at the third annual Texas Nuclear Summit reflected on the event's growth and discussed the potential for new nuclear power aided by federal government support. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146863-texas-nuclear-summit-bright-future-for-industry/ Chapters: 00:07 Introduction 00:14 Commentary: The Next Frontier of Grid Resilience: Wildfire Prevention and Utility Asset Protection 00:33 DTE Proposes Gas Plants, Storage, Renewables in IRP 00:49 FERC Approves $425K in NERC Penalties 01:01 IESO Proposes New Capacity Accreditation Method for Future Procurements 01:17 PGE Says Oregon PUC Order on Holding Company Proposal is Too Strict 01:36 Texas Nuclear Summit Speakers See Bright Future for Industry 01:50 Subscribe Read these stories and more at W-W-W dot R-T-O Insider dot com. Music provided by BreakzStudios.

RTO Insider Daily Headlines for September 28, 2026. In this episode: • Democrats Fume Over Data Center Development on Public Lands (RTO Insider) Congressional Democrats are ramping up opposition to the Trump administration efforts to potentially use thousands of acres of federal lands in the West to house data centers in the wake of the BLM’s recent approval of a controversial project in Nevada. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146841-democrats-fume-over-data-center-development-on-public-lands/ • Pathways Reveals Proposed ROWE Board Members (RTO Insider) The group standing up ROWE announced the names of five industry veterans poised to become the organization’s first board directors amid pressure to show it can provide independent governance over CAISO’s energy markets. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146741-pathways-announces-rowe-inaugural-board/ • Grid Operators Need Authority Budgets Before AI Agents Get More Power (RTO Insider commentary) Grid organizations should use AI aggressively where it improves forecasting, compliance, maintenance, planning and analysis. But as AI shifts from advising people to agents that can act across systems, the industry needs a harder limit on delegated power. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146165-grid-operators-need-authority-budgets-before-ai-agents-get-more-power/ • ISO Governance Speed is Not a Legal Abstraction; it's an Engineering Constraint (RTO Insider commentary) There's a cost to "shared governance" ISO gridlock that doesn't show up in a tariff filing: the physical grid does not wait for administrative consensus to finish forming, warns engineering analyst Mica C. Tufillaro. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146859-iso-governance-speed-not-legal-abstraction-engineering-constraint/ • Earthjustice Report Suggests Cost Allocation Methods for Large Loads (RTO Insider) Earthjustice has released a report by Energy Futures Group on how to allocate the costs caused by the addition of large loads like data centers. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146831-earthjustice-report-suggests-cost-allocation-methods-for-large-loads/ • FERC Reaffirms ROE Reduction, Refund Requirements for ISO-NE TOs (RTO Insider) Responding to a rehearing request by the ISO-NE transmission owners, FERC reaffirmed its reduction of the TOs’ base return on equity and its requirement for the companies to refund customers for the overcollection of funds dating back to 2011. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146828-ferc-reaffirms-roe-reduction-refund-iso-ne-tos/ • Storage Developers Face Evolving Challenges, Opportunities in ISO-NE (RTO Insider) While advancements in battery technology, increasing arbitrage opportunities and state programs are boosting the case for energy storage in ISO-NE, regulatory challenges continue to pose substantial barriers to development. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146697-iso-ne-storage-devs-face-evolving-challenges-opportunities/ Chapters: 00:07 Introduction 00:14 Democrats Fume Over Data Center Development on Public Lands 00:31 Pathways Reveals Proposed ROWE Board Members 00:46 Commentary: Grid Operators Need Authority Budgets Before AI Agents Get More Power 01:07 Commentary: ISO Governance Speed is Not a Legal Abstraction; it's an Engineering Constraint 01:26 Earthjustice Report Suggests Cost Allocation Methods for Large Loads 01:38 FERC Reaffirms ROE Reduction, Refund Requirements for ISO-NE TOs 01:58 Storage Developers Face Evolving Challenges, Opportunities in ISO-NE 02:15 Subscribe Read these stories and more at W-W-W dot R-T-O Insider dot com. Music provided by BreakzStudios.

RTO Insider Daily Headlines for September 25, 2026. In this episode: • Energy Storage Marks Another Strong Quarter (RTO Insider) A new report shows battery storage installation soaring in the United States and the average duration of installed batteries growing longer. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146261-second-quarter-us-energy-storage-report/ • Second Judge Blocks N.Y. Climate Change Superfund Act (NetZero Insider) New York’s attempt to charge fossil fuel companies $75 billion in compensation for climate damage has been shot down by a second federal judge. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146727-ny-climate-change-superfund-act-struck-down-again/ • NYISO Breaks Down Summer System Conditions (RTO Insider) New York had 10 days with a system peak load of over 27,000 MW this summer, NYISO reported to stakeholders at the end of August. https://www.rtoinsider.com/142327-nyiso-breaks-down-2026-summer-season-performance/ • Fixing PJM’s Real Problem: Interconnection Delays (RTO Insider commentary) PJM's interconnection queue for reviewing and approving requests wasn’t flexible enough to handle the increased volume in recent years and has seized up, writes Tom Rutigliano of the NRDC. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146711-fixing-pjms-real-problem/ • Trump Administration Prioritizing Large-Scale Energy Storage (RTO Insider) The Trump administration has spent the past year course correcting its policies on energy storage, making it a top priority in its efforts to lower energy costs as the buildout of data centers and the artificial intelligence industry strains the nation’s aging power grid, according to a senior Department of Energy official. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146721-trump-administration-prioritizing-large-scale-energy-storage/ • Ariz. Utilities’ Day-ahead Market Choices Face Fresh Scrutiny (RTO Insider) An Arizona regulator has asked utilities in the state for updated analysis on their choice of day-ahead market — including the impact of Bonneville Power Administration potentially switching from SPP’s Markets+ to CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146709-ariz-utilities-day-ahead-market-choices-face-fresh-scrutiny/ • Experts Debate Restructuring vs. Vertical Integration at AEI (RTO Insider) The return of major load growth has brought back basic debates about how to economically regulate the power industry, and the American Enterprise Institute gathered a group of experts to discuss the topic. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146725-experts-debate-restructuring-versus-vertical-integration-at-aei/ • CISA, FBI Warn of Attacks on ICS Integrators (ERO Insider) Federal agencies said malicious cyber actors may be targeting third-party industrial control system integration services. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146714-cisa-issues-ics-integrator-guidance/ • DOE Awards $1.9B for 31 Grid Modernization Projects (RTO Insider) Recipients are expected to reconductor or replace more than 1,500 miles of transmission lines and add grid-enhancing technologies to nearly 21,000 miles. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146729-doe-announces-speed-power-transmission-grants/ • MISO Asks FERC for Queue Restudy Cutback, 1-shot Exit Ramp for 2022 Projects (RTO Insider) MISO has filed a plan with FERC to reduce restudies in its interconnection queue and hand out a one-time pardon for generation proposals that entered its queue in 2022, allowing them to exit without consequence in late 2026. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146694-miso-asks-ferc-queue-restudy-cutback-one-shot-exit-ramp/ • IESO Finalizes Long Lead-Time Procurement Changes as Registration Opens (RTO Insider) IESO has finalized changes to its Long Lead-Time request for proposals, including a mechanism to replace unsigned or disqualified awards, new contract language allowing it to share project progress reports with the Ontario government and revisions to storage requirements. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146715-ieso-finalizes-long-lead-time-procurement-changes/ Chapters: 00:07 Introduction 00:14 Energy Storage Marks Another Strong Quarter 00:25 Second Judge Blocks N.Y. Climate Change Superfund Act 00:38 NYISO Breaks Down Summer System Conditions 00:50 Commentary: Fixing PJM’s Real Problem: Interconnection Delays 01:08 Trump Administration Prioritizing Large-Scale Energy Storage 01:29 Ariz. Utilities’ Day-ahead Market Choices Face Fresh Scrutiny 01:48 Experts Debate Restructuring vs. Vertical Integration at AEI 02:04 CISA, FBI Warn of Attacks on ICS Integrators 02:16 DOE Awards $1.9B for 31 Grid Modernization Projects 02:31 MISO Asks FERC for Queue Restudy Cutback, 1-shot Exit Ramp for 2022 Projects 02:52 IESO Finalizes Long Lead-Time Procurement Changes as Registration Opens 03:13 Subscribe Read these stories and more at W-W-W dot R-T-O Insider dot com. Music provided by BreakzStudios.

RTO Insider Daily Headlines for September 24, 2026. In this episode: • MISO Nominates Intel Expert to Board of Directors (RTO Insider) The MISO Board of Directors is likely to have a new member beginning in 2027, one with cybersecurity and government intelligence experience. https://www.rtoinsider.com/145304-miso-nominates-intel-expert-board-of-directors/ • NERC Approves MISO’s Move to SERC as Primary Reliability Corp. (RTO Insider) MISO announced NERC has approved its request for SERC Reliability to serve as its new main regional entity, replacing a 10-year relationship with ReliabilityFirst. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146433-nerc-approves-miso-move-to-serc-primary-reliability-corp/ • FERC Commissioners Trade Concurrences on $1 Collateral from Data Center (RTO Insider) FERC declined to weigh in on a contract dispute, outside of several concurrences that argued for clearer terms on deals between utilities and large loads and to highlight the paucity of a $1 letter of credit. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146251-ferc-commissioners-trade-concurrences-collateral-data-center/ • Campbell Decision Clouds New DOE Must-run Orders for Indiana Coal Plants (RTO Insider) The U.S. Department of Energy issued fresh orders to again delay the scheduled closures of two Indiana coal plants as questions swirl over their legality. https://www.rtoinsider.com/145347-campbell-uncertainty-clouds-doe-must-run-orders-indiana-coal-plants/ • Heinrich Proposes Tax Credits for Upgraded Tx (RTO Insider) Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced a bill that would offer a 30% investment tax credit to transmission projects that upgrade their capacity using advanced conductors. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146253-heinrich-proposes-tax-credits-upgraded-transmission/ • N.Y. Awards 8 Storage, 13 Renewable Energy Contracts (RTO Insider) The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced the state has contracted new storage and renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of 1.7 GW. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146426-new-york-procures-renewable-energy-storage-contracts/ • Independence is a Lousy Principle of Governance for ISOs (RTO Insider commentary) The West seeks to inject independence into its regime so participants can be confident market outcomes are not beholden to the interests of California. In contrast, stakeholders in the East are pushing to make an independent PJM more responsive, nimble and accountable to a large and complex variety of interests, writes energy consultant Vincent Duane. https://www.rtoinsider.com/145258-independence-is-a-lousy-principle-of-governance/ • New Data Center Power Metric Could Guide Flexibility, Aurora Says (RTO Insider) Researchers at Aurora Energy hope their metric for measuring the value a data center obtains from consuming electricity could result in more targeted tools to avoid burdening existing customers with higher costs. https://www.rtoinsider.com/143207-new-data-center-power-metric-could-guide-flexibility-aurora-says/ • Western Natural Gas Prices near Record Low in Q1 2026 (RTO Insider) Natural gas prices decreased almost 50% in some parts of the West in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025, a report by CAISO’s Department of Market Monitoring found. https://www.rtoinsider.com/145353-natural-gas-prices-near-record-low-q1-2026-in-west/ • SERC Speakers Outline Issues Involving Large Loads (RTO Insider) Speakers at a SERC Reliability Board of Directors meeting discussed issues involving large loads, including NERC's plans for standards development. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146159-serc-speakers-outline-issues-large-loads/ • IESO Defends Import Guarantee Changes as Traders Warn of Higher Costs (RTO Insider) IESO is sticking with its late January 2027 timetable for restricting import guarantees and rejecting calls for a delay. Traders warn the changes could discourage imports and raise Ontario’s wholesale power costs. https://www.rtoinsider.com/145330-market-design-tension-ieso-defends-import-guarantee-changes/ • BPA Markets Discussion Pits Design Against Fundamentals (RTO Insider) In a letter to the Regional Organization for Western Energy, BPA Administrator Travis Kavulla made clear the agency intended to review its previous record of decision to join SPP’s Markets+ rather than CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146161-bpa-markets-discussion-pits-design-against-fundamentals/ • Abbott Tightens Pause on ERCOT Data Center Interconnections (RTO Insider) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has further tightened his de facto moratorium on data center interconnections with the ERCOT grid. https://www.rtoinsider.com/146155-abbott-puts-halt-more-approvals-large-loads/ Chapters: 00:07 Introduction 00:14 MISO Nominates Intel Expert to Board of Directors 00:26 NERC Approves MISO’s Move to SERC as Primary Reliability Corp. 00:42 FERC Commissioners Trade Concurrences on $1 Collateral from Data Center 00:58 Campbell Decision Clouds New DOE Must-run Orders for Indiana Coal Plants 01:13 Heinrich Proposes Tax Credits for Upgraded Tx 01:28 N.Y. Awards 8 Storage, 13 Renewable Energy Contracts 01:43 Commentary: Independence is a Lousy Principle of Governance for ISOs 02:07 New Data Center Power Metric Could Guide Flexibility, Aurora Says 02:24 Western Natural Gas Prices near Record Low in Q1 2026 02:41 SERC Speakers Outline Issues Involving Large Loads 02:54 IESO Defends Import Guarantee Changes as Traders Warn of Higher Costs 03:12 BPA Markets Discussion Pits Design Against Fundamentals 03:31 Abbott Tightens Pause on ERCOT Data Center Interconnections 03:42 Subscribe Read these stories and more at W-W-W dot R-T-O Insider dot com. Music provided by BreakzStudios.