Abstract: Highly technical rules for regional electricity markets shape opportunities for new technologies and the pace of transition to a cleaner and more distributed power system. This presentation examines the governance design and practices of three regional transmission organizations (RTOs). These organizations are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and make critical decisions about transmission planning, grid operations, and wholesale electricity market design. Drawing on three case studies, this presentation examines the processes used to develop rules for energy storage market participation to better understand structural power and institutional stability. A focus on the mechanisms that operate within RTO governance provides insight into needed RTO governance reform and contributes to the broader literature on sustainability transitions.
Speaker Bio: Stephanie Lenhart is a Senior Research Associate in the Energy Policy Institute affiliated with the Center for Advanced Energy Research and an Assistant Research Professor in the School of Public Service at Boise State University. Dr. Lenhart examines institutional design, stakeholder participation, policy implementation, and the negotiation of authority. Recent work explores the governance of electricity systems and the exercise of power and agency in energy transitions with a focus on regional transmission organizations, consumer-owned distribution utilities, and grid integration of storage and other distributed energy resources. Before joining Boise State, she served as Director of Cabinet Affairs for the New Mexico Office of the Governor and Senior Policy Analyst for the New Mexico Secretary of Finance and Administration. Previously, she worked in environmental consulting specializing in climate change assessment and regulatory analysis. Dr. Lenhart holds an MPP from the University of California at Berkeley and a BA in Government and Economics from Cornell University.
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Stephanie Lenhart