FERC chair: retirement of generation harms reliability; agency ready to help PJM, will evaluate TVA filings and study winter storm response
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Summary
Chair Sweat told reporters that the retirement of generation poses reliability risks, said FERC stands ready to assist PJM as it meets multiple deadlines, will evaluate any filings related to TVA’s continuing coal operations and linked pipelines, and is reviewing winter storm Fern’s impacts and inverter integration challenges.
Reporters pressed FERC Chair Sweat on several reliability topics: PJM’s capacity to meet a demanding timeline without a permanent CEO, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s decision to continue coal operations at some plants, and the Commission’s approach to winter storm Fern and integrating inverter-based resources.
On PJM, an unnamed reporter asked how confident FERC is that PJM can meet its commitments given the volume of actions and lack of a permanent CEO. Chair Sweat said PJM is "in a very critical position in serving 67,000,000 Americans" and that its diverse stakeholder group makes its work difficult; he added, "we stand ready at work to do whatever we can do to help PJM, whether it's through a board action or their stakeholder process to meet the deadlines that they have committed to."
AJ Camacho of ENE News asked whether TVA’s decision to continue operating coal at Kingston and Cumberland and plans to deploy gas units would prompt supplemental environmental review for the Ridgeline and Cumberland pipelines. Chair Sweat said he cannot prejudge any potential filings but noted that FERC must rely on entities to make decisions for their customers and reiterated his public view that "retirement of generation harms reliability." He said the Commission will evaluate any filings that come in "and that's as far as I can go today."
On winter storms and reviews, Maya Weber (S&P Global) asked if FERC would conduct another look-back for winter storm Fern. Chair Sweat said that, although "millions of American lost power," the grid performed "exceedingly well" and that FERC is analyzing winterization measures and whether reliability standards worked or could be improved.
Zach Hale (S&P Global) asked about a package of NERC reliability standards approved that day and about challenges from inverter-based resources. Chair Sweat said the package is aimed at improving reliability and tools for operators; he emphasized FERC’s technology-neutral stance: "we are of course by statute a resource neutral agency. We accept every electron onto the grid that we can in our jurisdiction."
What happens next: Chair Sweat said FERC will evaluate filings and that work on standards and operational reviews will continue. He repeatedly declined to prejudge filings or issue legal determinations in the press setting.