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Very encouraging FERC Filing by ISO New England in advance of the FERC Technical Conference

image credit: ISO New England
Richard Brooks's picture
Richard Brooks 107,045
Co-Founder and Lead Software Engineer Reliable Energy Analytics LLC

Inventor of patent 11,374,961: METHODS FOR VERIFICATION OF SOFTWARE OBJECT AUTHENTICITY AND INTEGRITY and the Software Assurance Guardian™ (SAG ™) Point Man™ (SAG-PM™) software and SAGScore™...

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  • May 22, 2021
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This is, by far, the most encouraging message I have seen from ISO New England to ensure resource and energy adequacy (resilience) within the New England Electric System that simultaneously accommodates each of the New England State's energy goals.

Bravo ISO New England! ISO-NE's FERC Filing

Just an FYI: The Always on Capacity Exchange (AOCE) concept under consideration by NEPOOL as a pathway forward was designed and developed with assistance and guidance from Eugene Litvinov, my best boss and former CTO at ISO New England. Eugene was a dear friend, a brilliant, "coaching style" mentor, I very much miss his jokes, laughs, his amazing insights and those memorable moments at the golf course.

The AOCE solution is far better than anything I could have produced alone, becasue of Eugene's influence and the feedback I received from other valued colleagues, within and outside of ISO New England.

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Thank Richard for the Post!
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Bob Meinetz's picture
Bob Meinetz on May 22, 2021

Richard, if you were to sum up your vision for AOCE in a few sentences, what would they be? All of the links above lead to aspirations, goals, and scorecards, with no plan of action except for a "plan to make a plan".

Despite all of your hard work and good intentions, I can't help feeling that meeting regional climate goals with free-market solutions is a self-defeating proposition. The first will require the simplest, most efficient, cost-effective means to an end, while the second encourages the most complicated, profitable (costly), and consumptive means to the same end - and it all boils down to believing we can reap the benefits of free market competition where a free market doesn't exist.

When the end consumer has no freedom of choice, all U.S. electricity providers are essentially monopolies. Let's face it - the idea consumers can choose electricity plans to suit their needs is an artificial construct when everyone on the block is getting exactly the same electricity. And even if it wasn't - would individuals choose what's best for the environment, or what's cheapest? In California, at least, green electricity isn't saving anyone any money.

Trying to keep an open mind about AOCE. If you're on to something we need it in California, and ASAP.

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Richard Brooks on May 24, 2021

Thanks, Bob - I'm glad you asked, refer to Implementation steps for answers to your questions: https://github.com/rjb4standards/Presentations/raw/master/2021-0224-Fili...

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Bob Meinetz on May 25, 2021

Thank you Richard. On first-read, it seems AOCE has a far better chance of succeeding at ISO-NE than at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), or ERCOT. California's representatives at CAISO are appointed by our state Public Utilities Commission (CPUC); CPUC commissioners are appointed by our governor. Thus one man, with no obligation to disclose his personal investments, has the power to guide policy. Whether it's possible to ensure free-market competition in that situation is doubtful.

Historically, market complexity has always been linked to manipulation. After John D. Rockefeller made an art out of manipulating prices with multi-level trusts and holding companies, the Sherman and Clayton Acts were effective at breaking them up. But how to regulate a market where state environmental goals are at odds with interstate commerce is a wide open question.

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Richard Brooks on May 25, 2021

I agree with your conclusion Bob - Resource Adequacy in CA, as I understand it, is still managed by government entities, who direct CAISO on what to do for RA.

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