Latest News

EPSA Supports Report On Entergy Transmission

The findings concerning transparency, enforceability and inclusion accurately capture the frustrations of competitive power suppliers and other stakeholders in the Entergy footprint due to the lack of the full open access to transmission that long-standing FERC orders require to benefit consumers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) today submitted comments to the multi-state Entergy Regional State Committee's (E-RSC) independent consultant, ESPY Energy Solutions, strongly supporting their recommendations on improvements needed to the Entergy Independent Coordinator of Transmission (ICT) arrangement between Entergy's transmission companies and its contractor, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP).

EPSA was an active participant in the ICT's formation. EPSA has continued to play an active role in the ongoing regulatory oversight of the ICT's operation of Entergy's transmission system. EPSA has also been actively engaged as part of the current E-RSC review of how to improve operations in the Entergy service territory upon the expiration of the ICT contract later this year. ESPY Energy Solution's report examined the ICT's independence and authority and will be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) after stakeholder comments are reviewed.

In its comments to ESPY Energy Solutions on the draft report, EPSA said that "The ESPY report's findings and recommendations concerning independence are spot on. Increased transparency and a shift in the way stakeholder forums are initiated coupled with penalties and performance metrics will, as the report says, aid in transforming the current ICT into the one that FERC envisioned in its orders approving the ICT's formation." ESPY found that many conversations and decisions between Entergy and the ICT occur "behind closed doors without explanation" and that the ICT lacks the authority to enforce recommended changes. ESPY also concluded that the ICT's scope should be expanded to include transmission capacity calculations and weekly procurement process market administration, among others.

In encouraging ESPY to file its report without modification to FERC, EPSA stated that "The findings concerning transparency, enforceability and inclusion accurately capture the frustrations of competitive power suppliers and other stakeholders in the Entergy footprint due to the lack of the full open access to transmission that long-standing FERC orders require to benefit consumers."

CONTACT: JOHN SHELK
(202) 349-0154or 703-472-8660

EPSA is the national trade association representing competitive power suppliers, including generators and marketers. These suppliers, who account for nearly 40 percent of the installed generating capacity in the United States, provide reliable and competitively priced electricity from environmentally responsible facilities serving global power markets. EPSA seeks to bring the benefits of competition to all power customers.