FERC Rolls Back Electric Reliability Obligations for Small Coops
In what is being heralded as a large first step in the small coop community, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) finding that a small, rural electric cooperative should be subject to mandatory electric reliability regulations. The order, involving the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association (SLECA), involved a dispute about whether SLECA should be included in the NERC Registry as a Distribution Provider and Load-Serving Entity, which presumes that SLECA is part of the Bulk Electric System. FERC’s order clarified that SLECA does not have to be included in the Registry because it is not directly connected to the Bulk Electric System. The order still leaves many legal questions unanswered about the scope of FERC’s jurisdiction to enforce mandatory reliability standards. Read more about this story here.
