Six governors representing states in New England have collectively filed a petition for a declaratory order at FERC related to the governors’ intention to form a non-profit corporation, the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE), that will serve as New England’s regional state committee (RSC).

A FERC white paper related to its previously announced standard market design (SMD) proposal allows states to form RSCs as part of a regional transmission organization (RTO) structure and invites RSCs to assume leadership roles in developing policy in their respective regions. ISO New England and transmission owners (TO) in New England are in the process of forming a New England RTO (RTO-NE).

In their late June petition, the governors noted that NESCOE would initially focus on developing and making policy recommendations related to resource adequacy and system planning. “NESCOE will also affirmatively investigate and report to the New England governors on policy questions concerning the possibility of a regional authority for siting of interstate transmission facilities.”

Also, NESCOE may expand its responsibility to include other issues that FERC has identified as appropriate for RSC involvement, but only upon the unanimous approval of NESCOE members.

The governors said that NESCOE would take a leadership role in policy matters within its purview. NESCOE will make policy determinations with a majority vote — i.e., those measures that achieve both a numerical majority and a majority weighted to reflect relative electric load. “When NESCOE majority determinations are submitted to the Commission, petitioners anticipate that these determinations will be accorded great deference by the Commission.”

The governors also want any FERC order to require that:

The filing was made by the governors of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

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