ISO New England outlines asset‑condition reviewer and warns of winter fuel constraints
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Summary
ISO New England told the Energy and Technology Committee that fuel delivery constraints and winter weather create price volatility and reliability risks; ISO said it will build an asset‑condition reviewer to provide states and advocates information to bring to FERC, with development through 2026 and a planned early‑2027 FERC filing.
ISO New England officials told the Energy and Technology Committee that market design and fuel delivery constraints are primary drivers of price volatility and that the region must plan for both transmission expansion and new storage technologies.
Eric Johnson, representing ISO New England’s external affairs team, explained the ISO’s limited jurisdiction: it manages grid operations and markets but has no authority to procure fuel. "We don't have any jurisdiction or authority to do procurements on the fuel side," Johnson said, adding that ISO analysis focuses on situational awareness and reliability planning.
The ISO described the interconnection queue (now dominated by wind, solar and short‑duration batteries) and said New England will need long‑duration storage to meet winter reliability needs. Johnson described the new asset‑condition reviewer being developed to standardize and increase transparency for transmission asset‑condition projects and to provide independent assessments that state consumer advocates and regulators can use in FERC proceedings: "We are going to be developing that structure over the course of 2026. We expect it to go to FERC at the beginning of 2027," he said.
ISO staff urged continued state coordination on procurements and transmission planning and underscored the region's vulnerability to winter fuel constraints; they recommended measures such as dual‑fuel capability for certain generators and more aggressive demand‑side action where feasible.
Committee members asked whether the ISO could take on broader procurement authority; ISO officials said such a change would require agreement across New England states and significant governance changes and is not an immediate option.
