On May 23, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a notice inviting comments on the interplay between state policy goals and organized wholesale electricity markets. The referenced state policy goals involve state support for zero-carbon-emitting power plants, including nuclear power plants, generally in the form of tax credits.
FERC’s recent actions are part of a larger policy discussion in which electricity market design issues remain controversial, a discussion that has been driven in part by increased state support for maintaining baseload generation, including nuclear, as the integration of renewables and other technologies continues. New York and Illinois, for example, have created tax incentives to support nuclear reactors in their states, but both programs are being challenged in court by other generators. Other states, including Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, are reportedly considering similar support.
Resolution of these issues will be critical for nuclear merchant generators. For more information, as well as information on deadlines for filing comments, continue reading the LawFlash.