[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 3, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55238-55239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14675]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD24-9-000]


Innovations and Efficiencies in Generator Interconnection; 
Supplemental Notice of Staff-Led Workshop

    As first announced in the Notice of Staff-Led Workshop issued in 
this proceeding on May 13, 2024, pursuant to 18 CFR 2.1(a), the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) will convene a staff-led 
workshop in the above-referenced proceeding at Commission headquarters, 
888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426 on Tuesday, September 10, 
2024 and Wednesday, September 11, 2024 from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 
5:00 p.m. Eastern time. This supplemental notice provides additional 
detail as to the planned content of the workshop and the self-
nomination process for interested panelists.
    The conference will be held in-person. The tentative topics and 
panels for the workshop appear below. A detailed agenda with the final 
list of topics and panels, selected speakers, presentation dates, and 
times for the selected speakers will be published on the Commission's 
website \1\ and in eLibrary at a later date.
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    \1\ https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events/innovations-and-efficiencies-generator-interconnection-workshop-docket-no-ad24-9.
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    This conference will bring together experts from diverse 
backgrounds including project developers, transmission owners and 
providers, government, research centers, and academia. The conference 
will bring these experts together for the purposes of identifying and 
discussing potential innovations and efficiencies related to generator 
interconnection.
    Broadly, such topics fall into the following categories, which may 
be subject to change:
    The Day 1 Innovations Panels will discuss enhancements to current 
generator interconnection processes that may build upon the reforms in 
Order No. 2023.\2\
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    \2\ Improvements to Generator Interconnection Procs. & 
Agreements, Order No. 2023, 184 FERC ] 61,054, order on reh'g, 185 
FERC ] 61,063 (2023), order on reh'g, Order No. 2023-A, 186 FERC ] 
61,199 (2024).
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    (Inn.1) Innovations Panel 1, integrated transmission planning and 
generator interconnection, will explore the extent to which 
transmission planning and generator interconnection processes may be 
further integrated beyond the reforms adopted in Order No. 1920.\3\ 
This panel will explore ideas to more efficiently and proactively plan 
for and interconnect new generation with increased cost certainty.
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    \3\ Building for the Future Through Electric Regional 
Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation, Order No. 1920, 187 FERC 
] 61,068 (2024).
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    (Inn.2) Innovations Panel 2, further changes, will examine the 
viability and utility of different approaches to organizing, 
processing, and studying generator interconnection requests, such as an 
ERIS-focused (or ``connect and manage'') process, the use of 
competitive mechanisms (e.g., an auction process to allocate scarce 
capacity or to resolve competition for the same point of 
interconnection), or other potential approaches.
    (Inn.3) Innovations Panel 3, prioritizing generator interconnection 
requests, will examine whether proposed generating facilities may be 
prioritized in the interconnection queue beyond the use of first-ready, 
first-served cluster window deadlines and readiness milestones as 
adopted by Order No. 2023 without undue discrimination.
    The Day 2 Efficiencies Panels will discuss incremental changes to 
current generator interconnection processes that may build upon the 
reforms in Order No. 2023.
    (Eff.1) Efficiencies Panel 1, the generator interconnection 
process, will evaluate the potential for increased efficiency 
throughout the generator interconnection process (excluding topics 
covered in Efficiencies Panels 2 and 3), such as, for example, 
providing additional pre-application data to interconnection customers 
or establishing fast-tracking processes for interconnection requests at 
points of interconnection with fewer system constraints.
    (Eff.2) Efficiencies Panel 2, automation, will assess opportunities 
for greater efficiency in the processing and study of interconnection 
requests by automating different steps in the process and using 
advanced computing technologies such as artificial intelligence to 
shorten the timeline from interconnection request to interconnection 
agreement.\4\
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    \4\ Artificial intelligence (AI) is a broad term for a spectrum 
of tools ranging from data validation on the simple side, to machine 
learning and statistical modeling in the middle, to deep learning 
and generative AI on the complex side of the spectrum.
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    (Eff.3) Efficiencies Panel 3, post-generator interconnection 
agreement construction phase, will discuss opportunities for greater 
efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the design, 
construction, and operation of interconnection facilities and network 
upgrades.
    Individuals interested in participating as panelists should submit 
a self-nomination email no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on July 
12, 2024, to [email protected]. The self-
nominations should have ``Panelist Self-Nomination'' in the subject 
line and include the panelist's name, contact information, 
organizational affiliation, one-paragraph biography, the panel the 
self-nominated panelist proposes to speak on, and a description of what 
they would like to discuss. Speakers are encouraged to build on 
existing developments in generator interconnection. Presentations that 
center on pending contested proceedings or pending requests for 
variations submitted in compliance with Order No. 2023 are discouraged.
    The workshop will be open to the public to attend virtually or in 
person and there is no fee for attendance. A supplemental notice will 
be issued with further details regarding the workshop agenda, as well 
as any changes in timing or logistics. Information will also be posted 
on the Calendar of Events on the Commission's website, www.ferc.gov, 
prior to the event. To stay apprised of issuances in this docket, there 
is an ``eSubscription'' link on the Commission's website that enables 
subscribers to receive email notification when a document is added to a 
subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, 
please email [email protected], or call (866) 208-3676 (toll 
free). For TTY, call (202) 502-8659.
    The workshop will be transcribed and webcast. Transcripts will be 
available for a fee from Ace Reporting (202-347-3700). A link to the 
webcast of this event will be available in the Commission Calendar of 
Events at www.ferc.gov. The Commission provides technical support for 
the free webcasts. Please call 202-502-8680 or email [email protected] 
if you have any questions.

[[Page 55239]]

    FERC conferences are accessible under section 508 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For accessibility accommodations please 
send an email to [email protected] or call toll free (866) 208-
3372 (voice) or (202) 502-8659 (TTY), or send a fax to (202) 208-2106 
with the required accommodations.
    For further information about this workshop, please contact:

Michael G. Henry (Technical Information). Office of Energy Policy and 
Innovation, 202-502-8583, [email protected]
Lewis Taylor (Legal Information), Office of General Counsel, 202-502-
8624, [email protected]

    Dated: June 27, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-14675 Filed 7-2-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P