New England States Committee On Electricity

NESCOE IS RECOGNIZED BY THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION AS NEW ENGLAND'S REGIONAL STATE COMMITTEE. NESCOE'S MISSION IS TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE REGION BY ADVANCING POLICIES DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ELECTRICITY AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE PRICE OVER THE LONG TERM, CONSISTENT WITH MAINTAINING RELIABLE SERVICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. NESCOE SEEKS TO ACCOMPLISH ITS OBJECTIVES IN THE CONTEXT OF A COMPETITIVE WHOLESALE ELECTRICITY MARKET, AND IT STRIVES TO ADVANCE ITS MISSION THROUGH COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH ISO-NE, THE NEW ENGLAND POWER POOL, AND OTHER REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS.

IN FURTHERANCE OF ITS MISSION, THROUGHOUT 2021, NESCOE REPRESENTED THE COLLECTIVE VIEWS OF THE NEW ENGLAND STATES - AND REGULARLY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE - IN SUBSTANTIVE NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL STAKEHOLDER FORUMS. THIS INCLUDED NESCOE'S REGULAR PARTICIPATION IN NEW ENGLAND POWER POOL'S PARTICIPANTS, RELIABILITY, TRANSMISSION, AND MARKETS COMMITTEE MEETINGS. NESCOE ALSO OFFERED PROPOSALS IN CONNECTION WITH PLANNING AND MARKET RULE CHANGES TO ADVANCE CONSUMER INTERESTS AND STATES' SHARED ENERGY OBJECTIVES. ADDITIONALLY, NESCOE PARTICIPATED IN ISO NEW ENGLAND'S PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND POWER SUPPLY PLANNING COMMITTEE. NESCOE ALSO MONITORED VARIOUS WORKING GROUPS. IN 2021, NESCOE PARTICIPATED IN ISO NEW ENGLAND FORUMS AND FEDERAL- JURISDICTIONAL MATTERS CONCERNING RESOURCE ADEQUACY AND SYSTEM PLANNING- RELATED ISSUES WITH SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR NEW ENGLAND CONSUMERS. IN 2021, NESCOE CONTINUED TO ADVANCE THE 2020 VISION STATEMENT THAT IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THREE CORE AREAS OF THE REGIONAL ELECTRICITY SYSTEM: WHOLESALE ELECTRICITY MARKET DESIGN, TRANSMISSION SYSTEM PLANNING, AND ISO NEW ENGLAND (ISO-NE) GOVERNANCE AND ISSUED THE 2021 REPORT TO THE GOVERNORS - ADVANCING THE VISION. IN 2021, NESCOE CONTINUED TO INFORM AND DEFINE THE NESCOE-REQUESTED ISO-NE 2050 TRANSMISSION STUDY TO INFORM THE REGION OF THE AMOUNT, TYPE AND HIGH- LEVEL COST ESTIMATES OF TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO COST-EFFECTIVELY INCORPORATE CLEAN-ENERGY AND DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES AND TO MEET NEW ENGLAND STATES' ENERGY POLICY REQUIREMENTS AND GOALS. NESCOE WORKED TO ENSURE THAT ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS, ISO-NE'S TRANSMISSION PLANNING TARIFF WOULD INCLUDE LONG-TERM ANALYSIS OF STATE MANDATES AND POLICIES AS A ROUTINE PLANNING PRACTICE. IN EARLY 2021, NESCOE ISSUED A REPORT ON THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES IN THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION-JURISDICTIONAL INDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATORS AND REGIONAL TRANSMISSION ORGANIZATIONS. NESCOE CONTINUED TO CALL ON ISO-NE TO ADOPT ENHANCEMENTS TO ITS PRACTICES AND GOVERNANCE WITH AN EYE TOWARD INCREASED TRANSPARENCY AND INSIGHT INTO DECISION-MAKING, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, AROUND CONSUMER COST CONSIDERATIONS. FURTHER, NESCOE CONTINUED TO EXPLORE, WITH ISO-NE AND MARKET PARTICIPANTS, POTENTIAL MARKET FRAMEWORKS THAT COULD FACILITATE THE EVOLUTION OF NEW ENGLAND'S POWER GRID IN LIGHT OF STATE ENERGY MANDATES AND POLICIES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2021, NESCOE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AND PROGRESS ON THE FUTURE GRID AND PATHWAYS STUDIES. THE FORMER IS TO PROVIDE USEFUL INSIGHTS INTO THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE FUTURE GRID OF 2040 AND BEYOND THAT WILL RESULT FROM NEW ENGLAND STATES' ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS. THE LATTER INCLUDED A NESCOE-REQUESTED EVALUATION OF A FORWARD CLEAN ENERGY MARKET. IN 2021, NESCOE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN PROCESSES AND LITIGATION AROUND RATE RECOVERY MECHANISMS IN CONNECTION WITH A POWER PLANT AND TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SIGNIFICANT CONSUMER COST IMPLICATIONS.