Wyoming interim committee hears options to let third‑party generators serve large industrial loads while protecting ratepayers

The Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions interim committee heard a briefing on electricity policy focused on large industrial and data‑center power needs and the potential role of third‑party generation.

John Jenks, director of energy market development at the Wyoming Energy Authority, told the committee the Authority convened an extensive stakeholder process over several months to study three issues: certificated territory integrity, serving large loads, and third‑party generation. He said the Public Service Commission’s recent rule on territory integrity took ‘‘one thing off of our plate’’ and that progress has been made on large‑load tariffs. Jenks described utilities’ existing offerings — Rocky Mountain Power’s Schedule 400, Black Hills’ large power contract service (LPCS) and Tri‑State and Basin Electric filings — and noted recent Department of Energy and FERC activity affecting interconnection.

Kara Fornstrom, consultant to the Wyoming Energy Authority, said the stakeholders did not reach consensus on third‑party generation but that the Authority concluded the…