Overview
- Energy Secretary invoked Section 403 on Oct. 23 to send FERC an advance notice outlining federal standards for connecting large loads and co‑located “hybrid” facilities.
- The proposal applies to new projects above 20 MW, limits scope to interconnections directly to transmission facilities, and allows joint load‑plus‑generation requests.
- DOE’s principles call for uniform study deposits, readiness requirements and withdrawal penalties, parity on option‑to‑build, and studying loads with generators where practical.
- Interconnection customers would bear 100% of assigned network upgrade costs, hybrids would need protection systems to prevent unauthorized injections or withdrawals, and expedited studies would be available for curtailable or dispatchable loads.
- FERC acknowledged receipt and plans to issue a notice to gather comments, while related regional actions continue with SPP’s Oct. 24 filing, PECO’s Amazon data center agreement, and anticipated PJM reforms.