Press Release

The hearing is open to the public. Parties must pre-register with the PUC by close of business on Thursday, Aug. 29, if they want to be considered for giving a presentation. The Commission will select a limited number of speakers to make short presentations. Interested parties should contact Karen Mitchell (kmitchell@state.pa.us) by letter or email. The Commission will issue a tentative agenda shortly after Aug. 29 indicating the selected speakers and times for presentation.

Parties unable to attend the hearing may submit written comments to James McNulty, PUC Secretary, P.O. Box 3265, Harrisburg, PA 17105. Comments are due by close of business on Sept. 10.

The Commission is particularly interested in comments on operational and economic issues related to the SMD, including:

• Independent transmission providers and companies;
• Reliability impacts: load shedding and curtailments;
• Installed capacity and system reserves;
• Transmission pricing and congestion management;
• Day-ahead and real-time markets;
• Market monitoring and market power; and
• A cost-benefit analysis with a focus on Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic Region.

FERC proposed the SMD on July 31. Comments are due to the FERC by Oct. 16.

While the Sept. 10 public hearing will focus on the FERC SMD proceeding and wholesale power-market issues, the Commission is planning a similar hearing on Pennsylvania’s transitional retail electric market.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ensures safe, reliable and reasonably priced electric, natural gas, water, telephone and transportation service for Pennsylvania consumers, by regulating public utilities and by serving as responsible stewards of competition.

To view the PUC letter inviting parties to the hearing, select here.