6.1. ERMUSR 08-11-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Public Power Weekly However, he said, much work remains, and "we're going to be working on it for a while." The new policy adopts as a FERC priority the early development by the industry of smart grid standards to: . Ensure the cyber security of the grid; . Provide two-way communications among regional market operators, utilities, service providers and consumers; . Ensure that power system operators have equipment that allows them to operate reliably by monitoring their own systems as well as neighboring systems that affect them; and . Coordinate the integration into the power system of emerging technologies such as renewable resources, demand-response resources, electricity storage facilities and electric transportation systems. As it adopts standards for smart grid technologies, the commission said it will not interfere with any state's ability to adopt advanced metering or demand- response programs. The commission said it "continues to abide by the Federal Power Act's jurisdictional boundaries between federal and state regulation of rates, terms and conditions of transmission service and sales of electricity." The smart grid policy statement is posted on FERC's VVeb site. JEANNINE ANDERSON Municipal utilities lvin transmission rate, ownership provisions in ~Tid-American's l~1IS0 membership bid In a series of July 16 orders, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved MidAmerican Energy Co.'s request to join the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator. The commission addressed concerns raised by the Midwest Municipal Transmission Group and Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska and for the most part ruled in favor of the public power groups. The commission sided with MMTG-MEAN in rejecting a proposal by MISO and Mid-American to base transmission rate credits for network customers on the network customer's cost of debt. In keeping with previous orders, FERC said, network customers who receive credits for their integrated transmission facilities are entitled to earn equity returns at the same rate as other transmission owners. Mid-American failed to support its proposal to revise or omit provisions in its tariff on joint planning and joint ownership, the commission ruled. The http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppw/printFriendly.asp?projlD=3214 (11 of 21)7/28/2009 3:37:08 AM