Interconnection

Northern Natural Gas disputed allegations that it restricted access to receipt point capacity at a proposed interconnection between the Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) and Northern Natural systems to shippers who agreed to buy a “phantom backhaul service.”

Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) shippers have accused Northern Natural Gas of limiting access to receipt point capacity at the interconnection between the REX and Northern Natural systems to shippers who agree to purchase a “phantom backhaul service.”

Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) shippers have accused Northern Natural Gas of limiting access to receipt point capacity at the interconnection between the REX and Northern Natural systems to REX shippers that agree to purchase a “phantom backhaul service.”

The PJM Interconnection LLC this month completed its third auction using the new Reliability Pricing Model (RMP) capacity construct, and while PJM officials are upbeat about the trio of results, critics argue that it will take more than a few auctions to determine whether the model is a success or a failure.

Joint federal-state open houses and scoping hearings will be held Wednesday and Thursday at two onshore interconnection points for NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc.’s proposed Clearwater Port offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal project.

FERC Friday dealt Duquesne Light Co. a major blow when it denied the company’s complaint request to be excluded from PJM Interconnection capacity auctions, which are scheduled to begin Monday. The Pittsburgh, PA-based utility saw its request as the first step in carrying out its plans to withdraw from the PJM and join the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO).

The PJM Interconnection Board on Friday authorized $2.9 billion in electric transmission upgrades and additions, including two major new transmission lines that would carry electricity from the Appalachian Basin and the Midwest to power-constrained East Coast markets.

With the expectations that peak demand for electricity this summer will be less than last summer’s record, PJM Interconnection, which manages the nation’s largest electricity grid spanning all or parts of 13 eastern states and the District of Columbia, said last week that power supplies in its region should be sufficient to meet consumers’ forecasted peak usage this summer.

An investigation into whether the market monitor of the PJM Interconnection is being permitted to operate independently from the regional transmission organization (RTO) should be conducted by an outside party, which could be designated by FERC, said a major industrial consumer power group last Tuesday.