2014-26565. Joint Technical Conference on New York Markets & Infrastructure; Second Supplemental Notice of Technical Conference

As announced in notices issued on September 17, 2014 ^[1] and October 10, 2014,^[2] the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) and the New York Public Service Commission will hold a joint technical conference on November 5, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern regarding the installed capacity market and energy infrastructure in New York and review the role of New York's centralized capacity market in attracting investment and ensuring resource adequacy and reliability. The conference will be held in the New York Institute of Technology Auditorium located at 1871 Broadway, between 61st and 62nd Streets, New York, NY 10023. An agenda identifying panelists for this conference is attached. This conference is free of charge and open to the public.

The technical conference will be transcribed. There will also be a free webcast of the conference. The webcast will allow persons to listen to the technical conference but not participate. There is limited seating available at the conference venue, so those registrants that have a confirmed space will be contacted by email. We encourage all others to take advantage of the free webcast. The webcast is available at the following Web site: http://bcove.me/​n8ovpqg7. The link will also be made available by navigating to the Calendar of Events at www.ferc.gov and locating the technical conference in the Calendar. A recording of the webcast will be made available after the conference in the same location on the Calendar of Events.

While this conference is not for the purpose of discussing specific cases, we note that the discussions at the conference may address matters at issue in the following Commission proceedings that are either pending or within their rehearing period:

• New York Independent System Operator, Inc	Docket No. ER12-2414
• New York Independent System Operator, Inc	Docket No. ER10-2371
• Independent Power Producers of New York, Inc. v. New York Independent System Operator, Inc	Docket No. EL13-62
• Hudson Transmission Partners, LLC v. New York Independent System Operator, Inc	Docket No. EL12-98
• Astoria Generating Company, L.P., et al. v. New York Independent System Operator, Inc	Docket No. EL11-50
• Astoria Generating Company, L.P., et al. v. New York Independent System Operator, Inc	Docket No. EL11-42
• New York Independent System Operator, Inc	Docket No. EL07-39
• Dunkirk Power, LLC	Docket No. ER12-2237
• Cayuga Operating Company, LLC	Docket No. ER13-405
• Niagara Mohawk Power Corp	Docket No. ER14-543

Information on the technical conference will be posted on the Web site http://www.ferc.gov/​EventCalendar/​EventDetails.aspx?​ID=​7531&​CalType=​%20amp;​CalendarID=​116&​Date=​11/​05/​2014&​View=​Listview,, as well as the Calendar of Events on the Commission's Web site, http://www.ferc.gov,, prior to the conference.

Commission conferences are accessible under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For accessibility accommodations, please send an email to [e-mail] or call toll free 1-866-208-3372 (voice) or 202-502-8659 (TTY), or send a FAX to 202-208-2106 with the required accommodations.

For more information about the technical conference, please contact:

Kathleen Schnorf (Technical Information), Office of Energy Market Regulation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, [phone], [e-mail].

Betty Watson (Technical Information), Office of Energy Policy and Innovation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, [phone], [e-mail].

Kate Hoke (Legal Information), Office of General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, [phone], [e-mail].

Sarah McKinley (Logistical Information), Office of External Affairs, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, [phone], [e-mail].

October 31, 2014.

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,

Deputy Secretary.

Joint FERC-NYPSC Technical Conference on New York Markets & Infrastructure

Docket No. AD14-18-000, November 5, 2014

Agenda

8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m.—Registration

9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m.—Opening remarks by Commissioners

9:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m.—NYISO and Independent Market Monitor presentation

NYISO and the Independent Market Monitor will report on the recent performance of NYISO's capacity market. NYISO will also describe current initiatives it is undertaking, and hurdles it is facing, as it seeks to improve performance of its capacity market to attract adequate investment in resources and infrastructure to efficiently meet New York State's reliability/resource adequacy needs. NYISO will provide information on recent investments made in resources and infrastructure through NYISO's markets and transmission planning efforts, and discuss the implementation of the new capacity zone in the Lower Hudson Valley. NYISO will provide a brief update on preparedness for the upcoming winter. Finally, the Independent Market Monitor will provide its recommendations for improved performance of NYISO's capacity market.

10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.—Panel One: Assessing the performance of NYISO's capacity market design in attracting investment in resources and infrastructure to meet reliability/resource adequacy needs

This session will discuss the role of NYISO's capacity market in attracting investment in both resources and infrastructure in order to meet New York State's reliability and/or resource adequacy needs. In particular, panelists should discuss the particular capacity market design features that encourage merchant investment in resources and infrastructure. Panelists will be asked to discuss how the capacity market is addressing local and state-wide resource adequacy and reliability issues at just and reasonable rates. Finally, panelists should discuss what changes, if any, should be considered going forward to improve the performance of NYISO's capacity market.

Panelists should be prepared to discuss the following questions:

a. How do particular market design features impact infrastructure investment decisions by merchant entities? How can these market design aspects best address the interests of both buyers and sellers? How do buyer-side mitigation measures affect investment? Should the NYISO capacity market provide a longer revenue certainty period (e.g., 3, 5, or 10 years)? Does the existing NYISO capacity market appropriately incent investment as compared with three-year forward market designs in other capacity markets (e.g., PJM, ISO-NE)? Are long-term bilateral contracts a feasible alternative procurement mechanism for New York (e.g., California model)?

b. Are changes to NYISO's capacity market necessary to better ensure resource performance during peak demand conditions (summer or winter)?

c. Why are Reliability Support Services (RSS) needed? What is the effect of RSS agreements on the ability of the NYISO capacity market to efficiently meet the intended goal of incentivizing investment in resources and infrastructure? Are there other market and infrastructure impacts of the use of RSS agreements?

d. How does NYISO coordinate its planning processes and its capacity market? Are there possible improvements in the coordination efforts?

e. How is the planning of transmission, generation and other resources coordinated between retail and wholesale markets?

Panelists:

Gavin Donohue—Independent Power Producers of New York

Glenn Haake—New York Power Authority

Marji Philips—Direct Energy

Mike Mager—Multiple Intervenors

Raymond Kinney—New York State Electric & Gas

Robert O. Gurman—Pocono Manor Investors

12:15 p.m.-1:00 p.m.—Lunch Break

1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.—Panel Two: Role of NYISO's capacity market in attracting investment in resources and infrastructure needed to meet public policy objectives

This session will focus on whether, and to what extent, NYISO's capacity market should play a role in attracting investment in resources and infrastructure to meet public policy objectives. There may be a range of public policy objectives, including increasing renewable resources; maintaining or increasing clean energy resources to meet emission reduction goals; increasing distributed resources; increasing energy efficiency and demand response resources; maintaining fuel diversity; maintaining price stability for customers (wholesale, retail, commercial and industrial); economic development; and spurring investment in resources and infrastructure (both power lines and gas pipelines). Panelists should address whether these objectives are appropriately addressed through the NYISO capacity market. If so, this session will also include a discussion of whether certain aspects of the current NYISO capacity market design—in particular the capacity market product definition—need to change to achieve the requisite public policy objectives. The discussion may also explore whether some of these objectives are complementary or in conflict with other objectives.

Panelists should be prepared to discuss the following questions:

a. Are changes to the capacity market needed to account for fuel availability/firmness of fuel, or to differentiate the value of capacity resources based on the “firmness” of fuel arrangements?

b. Should the capacity market specifically account for or otherwise value resources that are intended to meet current or future public policy goals (e.g., fuel diversity or emission reduction goals)? How should there be modifications to the buyer-side mitigation rules to help achieve those goals?

c. What price signals and tariff changes may be needed to achieve the objectives under discussion in the PSC's Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceeding?

d. Are there market, environmental, or other barriers to entry in certain locations or for certain kinds of resources (e.g., repowering assets in New York City)?

e. Are there broader market design features outside of the capacity market (e.g., scarcity and shortage pricing) that could be adjusted to account for public policy objectives (e.g., increasing renewables)?

Panelists:

Kevin Lang—City of New York

Jackson Morris—Natural Resources Defense Council

John Reese—USPowerGen

James Holodak Jr.—National Grid

Patricia Stanton—Conservation Services Group

Scott Harvey—FTI Consulting

3:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m.—Break

3:15 p.m.-4:00 p.m.—Roundtable discussion among Commissioners/Wrap up

Discussion of possible paths forward for identified issues and solutions.

Footnotes

1.  Joint Technical Conference on New York Markets & Infrastructure, Docket No. AD14-00018-000 (September 17, 2014).

2.  Supplemental Notice of Joint Technical Conference on New York Markets & Infrastructure, Docket No. AD14-00018-000 (October 10, 2014).