PJM Capacity Market Timeline Proposed

This week, PJM filed tariff changes at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in response to its landmark order — issued in December to protect competitive wholesale electricity markets against unfair competition from subsidized actors.

The changes to the Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) will potentially affect revenue for Ohio’s two nuclear power plants, OVEC’s coal-fired power plants, select large-scale solar projects, and the Sammis coal-fired power plant. All of these power plants are eligible to receive direct subsidies from Ohio ratepayers as a result of last year’s House Bill 6, or are receiving indirect subsidies in the case of Sammis.

PJM has recommended a 35-day comment period, and a six-and-a-half-month lead time from FERC’s acceptance of its tariff changes to when it would hold the next capacity auction. PJM’s capacity auction, already a year behind, may not occur until late 2020. 3/19/2020