Missouri takes Michigan’s lead by lifting the ban on distributed energy resource (DER) aggregators; this change will improve grid reliability while decreasing electricity prices for consumers according to former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Jon Wellinghoff

SAN FRANCISCO and BOSTON, Oct. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Voltus, Inc. (Voltus), the leading distributed energy resource (DER) platform and virtual power plant (VPP) operator, today announced a win for electricity consumers in Missouri. On October 12, 2023, the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC) unanimously ruled to reverse their FERC Order 719 opt-out. Missouri energy consumers of 100 kW or more within the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) regions can now enroll in DER programs with a third party aggregator of their choice, giving them significant revenue and savings opportunities at a time when electric bills in parts of Missouri are expected to increase over 400% during peak hours.

Missouri’s Public Service Commission opted out of FERC Order 745 in 2010 (Order Temporarily Prohibiting the Operation of Aggregators of Retail Customers). In February of 2021, the MPSC invited comments on how the commission should respond to FERC Order 2222. Voltus’s Chief Regulatory Officer and former FERC Chairman, Jon Wellinghoff, recommended a reconsideration of the ban on aggregators engaging with retail consumers. Voltus, Walmart, and other parties participated in workshops and submitted briefs in support of reversing the opt-out.

“Market conditions have changed since the MPSC’s opt-out in 2010,” says Chairman Wellinghoff. “The regional transmission organizations (RTOs) have come to rely on DERs as a proven resource in maintaining the stability and reliability of the electric grid, not only during grid emergencies, but also routinely to help balance the variability of renewable energy.”

Chairman Wellinghoff continues: “The MPSC’s decision to reverse the opt-out will help reduce wholesale electricity prices by quickly adding more DERs to the grid in the most economical way, leveraging energy assets that already exist behind-the-meter at customer sites. By connecting these assets to the market, we believe Missouri will be better equipped to maintain electric grid reliability during extreme weather events like Winter Storm Uri, preventing blackouts and loss of life. We applaud the MPSC for following Michigan’s lead in lifting the opt-out!”

Last year, Voltus successfully petitioned for large energy consumers in Michigan to enjoy these same benefits. In December of 2022, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) ruled on Voltus’s October filing, deciding that all DTE Energy and Consumers Energy customers with large electric loads could enroll in demand response programs with third party aggregators. Since the ban was lifted, Voltus's portfolio in Michigan has grown to over 100 MW.

“Voltus has been working hard to provide energy users with access to these market-based revenue and savings opportunities, focusing specifically on addressing the FERC Order 719 state opt-out that unfairly discriminates against third-party aggregators,” says Gregg Dixon, CEO of Voltus. “Missouri has a 20 GW system peak that faces supply constraints under extreme weather conditions. The market needs companies like Voltus to build and scale virtual power plants quickly. The MPSC’s historic decision now allows Voltus to offer Missouri consumers six new DER programs that directly support the reliability of the grid.”

To enroll your business in Voltus’s DER programs in Missouri, contact info@voltus.co. To learn more about DERs visit our website, or sign-up for Voltus’s informational session on October 26, 2023.

About Voltus
Voltus is the leading DER technology platform and virtual power plant operator connecting 5.8 GW of distributed energy resources to electricity markets, delivering less expensive, more reliable, and more sustainable electricity. Our commercial and industrial customers and DER partners generate cash by allowing Voltus to maximize the value of their flexible load, distributed generation, energy storage, energy efficiency, and electric vehicle resources in these markets. To learn more, visit www.voltus.co. 

Media Contact
Mona Khaldi
press@voltus.co

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