Renewable Energy Taylor Stuart , Joshua Robichaud , and Catherine McCarthy *
A . New FERC Requirements to Improve Generator Interconnection Process 63 |
B . Developments in Offshore Wind ............................................................... |
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1 . Overview .............................................................................................. |
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2 . Permitting and Leasing Developments ................................................ |
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a . BOEM ’ s Modernization Rule .......................................................... |
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b . Project Reviews and Resulting Litigation ...................................... |
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c . Leasing ........................................................................................... |
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3 . Offshore Wind Transmission and Interconnection ............................... |
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4 . OREC Agreements ............................................................................... |
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A . New FERC Requirements to Improve Generator Interconnection Process
On July 28 , 2023 , the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ( FERC ) issued Order No . 2023 , a rulemaking order , mandating reforms to FERC ’ s pro forma generator interconnection procedures and pro forma generator interconnection agreements found in Transmission Providers ’ Open Access Transmission Tariffs ( OATTs ). Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements , Order No . 2023 , 184 FERC ¶ 61,054 ( 2023 ). Transmission Providers , including independent system operators ( ISOs ) and regional transmission organizations ( RTOs ), are required to update their OATTs to incorporate the changes and submit them to FERC in compliance filings or justify how their existing interconnection generator interconnection procedures and generator interconnection agreements satisfy FERC ’ s new requirements .
Order No . 2023 responds to the significant increase in renewable generation and energy storage development , increases accelerated by state policies promoting renewable generation , continued increases in corporate demand for virtual power purchase agreements to achieve “ renewable ” or “ green ” energy targets and federal tax incentives . FERC Commissioner Allison Clements ’ s concurrence to Order No . 2023 provides details on the recent delays generator developers have experienced in the interconnection process . FERC Order No . 2023 is bipartisan and implements changes designed to achieve efficient and cost-effective integration of renewable generation resources .
FERC Order No . 2023 intends to balance requirements applicable to Transmission Providers to improve the processing of interconnection requests for those renewable energy and energy storage projects likely to achieve commercial
* This report was prepared in July 2023 and does not reflect developments that occurred between the time of its preparation and publication . Ms . Stuart and Mr . Robichaud are associates at Bracewell LLP in its Washington , DC , office , where Ms . McCarthy is a partner . Thank you to legal assistant Alexandra Zak for her assistance with this report .
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