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Enron Mail |
Hello, Everyone -
This Notice postpones our tentatively scheduled RTO West Regional Representatives Group Meeting from April 20 to May 4.? As most of you know, substantial work is on-going in the areas of congestion management and contract conversion.? With respect to congestion management, the RTO West filing utilities are working together with other stakeholders to consider refinements to the Stage 1 congestion model.? There is an additional effort among the filing utilities to develop a possible alternative to the Stage 1 model.? These efforts will be among the topics at the May 4 meeting.? When we get closer to the meeting date, I'll send a notice on specific time and location. At our March 23 RRG meeting, I briefed everyone on my discussions with a FERC staff member on the status of the RTO West October 23 filing.? I was told that the FERC Commissioners wanted to hold a meeting in the West to get the views of western states' representatives on RTOs (and critical pricing, grid enhancements, generation, and other infrastructure issues) before they took up the RTO West filing.? In its Order issued March 16, Docket No. PL01-3-000, entitled "Removing Obstacles to Increased Electric Generation and Natural Gas Supply in the Western United States,"? FERC stated that it saw a west wide RTO, or a seamless integration of Western RTOs, as "the best vehicle for designing and implementing a long-term regional solution." This past Tuesday, April 10, FERC hosted a meeting in Boise to get the views of western states' representatives on western electric price volatility, a western regional transmission organization, and generation and transmission infrastructure.? During the time allotted to RTOs, the states' representatives unanimously opposed moving immediately to a west wide RTO and supported moving forward with the regional RTO initiatives (RTO West and DSTAR) that are currently before FERC. This position on RTOs was essentially uniform among all of the states' representatives attending.? In addition, the states' representatives strongly encouraged the FERC to move forward quickly and get orders out on the current RTO filings.? State PUC Commissioners Roger Hamilton (Oregon), Marsha Smith (Idaho), and Marilyn Showalter (Washington) were particularly forceful and eloquent in opposing a west wide RTO and supporting moving forward with the regional proposals. My hope is that FERC heard the message from the states' representatives and will act on the compliance filings very soon.? The next opportunity for RTO West to be on? FERC's agenda is April 25.? We should know by April 18 whether RTO West is on the agenda.? If it is, then an Order could issue from FERC on April 25 or 26, and this will give all of us about a week to review and digest it before the RRG meets on May 4. During this time of uncertainty and crisis in the western energy markets, your continued support for RTO West is very much appreciated. Thanks very much. - Bud ? P.S. - I have sent this message to the RRG members and other interested parties by "blind copy" to save those of you?who print out your e-mails from a huge list of recipients at the beginning of your print-out.
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