Appellate Briefs

5th Cir. No. 22-60458 Response of FERC in Opposition to Petition for Writ of Mandamus.  Petition for writ of mandamus, that FERC has engaged in undue delay by not acting in timely manner in:  (1) EL21-56 – failure to act on a complaint filed 3/2/21; (2) EL17-41, et al. – failure to act on an ALJ’s initial decision issued 3/24/21; and (3) EL18-152 – failure to act on an ALJ’s initial decision issued 4/6/20.

D.C. Cir. No. 21-1214, et al. Order adopting the PJM Market Monitor’s Unit-Specific Avoidable Cost Rate, and granting PJM request for waiver of certain pre-auction deadlines in the event the Commission establishes a lower value for the replacement default offer cap. Independent Market Monitor for PJM v. PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 176 FERC ¶ 61,137 (2021), order on reh’g, 178 FERC ¶ 61,121 (2022).

3rd No. 21-3068, et al. Response of Respondent FERC Opposing Petitioners’ Motion to Strike.  PJM proposed revisions to its Open Access Transmission Tariff, regarding application of the Minimum Offer Price Rule in its capacity market.  PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., Notice of Filing Taking Effect by Operation of Law (Sept. 29, 2021) (noting that Commission did not act on PJM’s filing “because the Commissioners are divided two against two as to the lawfulness of the change”), rehearing denied by operation of law, 177 FERC ¶ 62,105 (Nov. 29, 2021).

D.C. No. 20-1449, et al. Order accepting proposed tariff revisions, to (1) identify and include Asset Management Projects within the existing planning procedures of Attachment M-3 of the PJM Tariff and (2) include procedures for the identification and planning for end-of-life needs  (EOL Needs).  PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.

3rd Cir. No. 21-3068, et al. PJM proposed revisions to its Open Access Transmission Tariff, regarding application of the Minimum Offer Price Rule in its capacity market.  PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., Notice of Filing Taking Effect by Operation of Law (Sept. 29, 2021) (noting that Commission did not act on PJM’s filing “because the Commissioners are divided two against two as to the lawfulness of the change”), rehearing denied by operation of law, 177 FERC ¶ 62,105 (Nov. 29, 2021).

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1277, et al. Ameren Companies’ recovery of the costs of certain “Materials & Supplies” inventories in their cost-of-service formula rates for interstate electric transmission service.  Midcontinent Ind. Sys. Operator, Inc. & Ameren Ill. Co., Order Accepting Formula Rate Revisions, 171 FERC ¶ 61,090 (2020), reh’g denied by operation of law, 172 FERC ¶ 61,009 (2020); Midcontinent Ind. Sys. Operator, Inc. & Ameren Transmission Co. of Ill., Letter Order, 171 FERC ¶ 61,141 (2020), reh’g denied by operation of law, 172 FERC ¶ 61,010 (2020); Midcontinent Ind. Sys. Operator, Inc. & Union Elec.

D.C. Cir. No. 21-1192, et al. Order denying complaint, alleging that New York ISO and Central Hudson failed to use reasonable efforts in processing Hecate’s interconnection request for its project, by applying an “inclusion practice” regarding the firmness of generator interconnection requests.  Hecate Energy Greene County 3 LLC v. Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp., 176 FERC ¶ 61,023 (2021), order on reh’g, 177 FERC ¶ 61,121 (2021).

5th Cir. No. 18-60575 Order on remand from El Paso Elec. Co. v. FERC, 832 F.3d 495 (5th Cir. 2016); filing, by members of WestConnect, in compliance with transmission planning and cost allocation requirements of Order No. 1000; responsibilities of public and non-public utility transmission owners.  Pub. Serv. Co. of Colorado, et al., order on remand, 161 FERC ¶ 61,188 (2017), reh’g denied, 163 FERC ¶ 61,204 (2018).

Midship Pipeline Company, LLC v. FERC 5th Cir. No. 22-60225 Order establishing procedures before an Administrative Law Judge, to determine (1) the methods and scope of remaining work activities that Midship must perform in order to restore the Sandy Creek Farms property, following construction of Midship’s Midcontinent Supply Header Interstate Pipeline Project and (2) the reasonable cost to complete such activities.  Midship Pipeline Co., 177 FERC ¶ 61,186 (Dec. 16, 2021), order on reh’g,) 178 FERC ¶ 61,202 (Mar. 24, 2022

D.C. Cir. No. 21-1139, et al. Order issuing a new license to continue operation and maintenance of the Conowingo Hydroelectric Project, a 570.15-megawatt project located on the Susquehanna River at river mile 10 in Lancaster and York Counties, Pennsylvania, and Cecil and Harford Counties, Maryland.  Exelon Generating Co., LLC, 174 FERC ¶ 61,217 (2021), order on reh’g, 176 FERC ¶ 61,029 (2021).

D.C. Cir. No. 21-1195, et al., Order on petition for declaratory order, determining that the proper rate for the Fairless Contract is the incremental rate for the MarketLink Expansion Project under Transco’s Rate Schedule FT.  Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co., LLC, 175 FERC ¶ 61,260 (2021), order on reh’g, 177 FERC ¶ 61,116 (2021).

5th Cir. No. 22-60225 Opposition to Motion for Stay. Order establishing procedures before an Administrative Law Judge, to determine (1) the methods and scope of remaining work activities that Midship must perform in order to restore the Sandy Creek Farms property, following construction of Midship’s Midcontinent Supply Header Interstate Pipeline Project and (2) the reasonable cost to complete such activities.  Midship Pipeline Co., 177 FERC ¶ 61,186 (Dec.

S. Ct. No. 21-1064 (filed 1/27/22) D.C. Cir. 20-1024 (filed 1/31/20) Implementation of Entergy bandwidth formula and calculations for 7-month period in 2005; applicability of 2009 tariff amendment.  Louisiana Pub. Serv. Comm’n, v. Entergy Services, Inc., 167 FERC ¶ 61,186 (2019), reh’g denied, 169 FERC ¶ 61,247 (2019).

D.C. Cir. No. 21-1226 Order dismissing petition for declaratory order, exercising discretion not to opine on proposed arrangement with QF on Holy Cross system and on dispute between Holy Cross and Public Service Company of Colorado.  Holy Cross Electric Association, Inc., 176 FERC ¶ 61,014 (2021); Notice of Denial of Rehearing By Operation of Law, 176 FERC ¶ 62,138 (2021).

D.C. Cir. No. 21-1126, et al. Order setting aside earlier order denying Broadview Solar’s application seeking Commission certification that proposed hybrid solar photovoltaic facility is a qualifying small power production facility pursuant to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. Broadview Solar, LLC, 174 FERC ¶ 61,199 (2021), order on reh’g, 175 FERC ¶ 61,228 (2021).  

D.C. Cir. No. 21-1163, et al. Order dismissing, for lack of federal jurisdiction, filing of new rate schedule setting forth Cherokee’s proposed cost-based revenue requirement for Reactive Supply and Voltage Control from Generation Sources Service to Duke Energy Carolinas; interconnection agreement with PURPA qualifying facility subject to authority of relevant state authority. Cherokee County Cogeneration Partners, LLC, 175 FERC ¶ 61,002 (2021), order on reh’g, 176 FERC ¶ 61,069 (2021).  

D.C. Cir. Nos. 21-1122 and 21-1157 Order on show cause, finding that a liquified natural gas handling facility constructed at the Port of San Juan in Puerto Rico is subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act, and directing New Fortress Energy to file an application for authorization to operate the facility. New Fortress Energy LLC, 174 FERC ¶ 61,207 (2021), order on reh’g, 176 FERC ¶ 61,031 (2021).

D.C. Cir. No. 21-1166 Order conditionally accepting Installed Capacity (ICAP) Demand Curve reset -- proposed revisions defining the demand curves in the ICAP Market for the 2021/2022 Capability Year, and identifying the methodologies and inputs to be used for subsequent, annual updates  to the ICAP Demand Curves for the 2022/2023, 2023/2024, and 2024/2025 Capability Years. New York Independent System Operator, Inc., 175 FERC ¶ 61,012 (2021), notice of denial of reh’g by operation of law, 175 FERC ¶ 62,159 (2021).

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1465, et al. [Supplemental Brief] Order Denying Complaint.  LSP Transmission Holdings II, LLC, et al. v. Midcontinent Indep. Sys. Operating, Inc., 172 FERC ¶ 61,098 (2020), order on reh’g, 173 FERC ¶ 61,202 (2020); Order on cost allocation for Market Efficiency Projects and selection process for Immediate Need Reliability Projects.  Midcontinent Indep. Sys. Operating, Inc., 172 FERC ¶ 61,095 (2020), order on reh’g, 173 FERC ¶ 61,203 (2020).

D.C. Cir. No. 20-1421 [Supplemental Brief] Order denying complaint, alleging that MISO’s current location-based cost allocation method in the MISO tariff for Baseline Reliability Projects (BRPs) is not just and reasonable because it does not identify the beneficiaries of each BRP in a manner that is roughly commensurate with the BRP benefits received.  Coalition of MISO Transmission Customers v. Midcontinent Indep. Sys. Operator, Inc., 172 FERC ¶ 61,099 (2020), reh’g denied by operation of law, 172 FERC ¶ 62,179 (2020).