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NuScale Power Achieves Standard Design Approval from NRC for 77 MW SMR

LCG, May 30, 2025--NuScale Power Corporation (NuScale), a leading provider of advanced small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technology, yesterday announced that it has received design approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for its uprated 77 MW power modules. NuScale states that it remains the only SMR technology company with design approval from the NRC, and the company remains on track for deployment by 2030, with 50- and 77-MW SMR options.

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EIA Presents Analysis of California's Solar and Wind Power Curtailment Challenges

LCG, May 29, 2025--The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released an analysis yesterday showing that the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the grid operator for most of the state, is increasing its curtailment of the rapidly growing solar- and wind-powered generation facilities in order to balance electricity supply and demand, which is necessary to maintain a stable electric system.

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Industry News

FERC to Review New Filings for Market-Based Rates

LCG, August 10, 2004--Last month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its Order on Rehearing that confirmed and clarified the new methodology to assess generation market power. For American Electric Power (AEP), Southern Company, and Entergy Corp., yesterday was the deadline to file the market power analysis using the new rules. AEP indicates that the company passes both market screens in the control areas to which AEP is directly connected, while Southern and Entergy both stated in filings that they will fail portions of the new test.

In the Order on Rehearing, the FERC stated, "Market-based rate authority is not a right. The Commission may grant such authority under the FPA only to applicants who demonstrably lack market power." Now the FERC must review the filings and determine how to proceed. At risk is the ability of each utility to sell wholesale electricity at market-based rates, rather than the incremental cost of generation.

The two screening tests analyze a market participant's total amount of uncommitted capacity available for wholesale sales in a market. The first screen is the pivotal supplier analysis, which examines a participant's generation market power during the peak hour of the year, and is based on a control areas annual peak demand. The hours leading up to that point are the most likely time that a participant will be a pivotal supplier.

The second screen is the wholesale market share analysis that examines the market share of a participant in all seasons. Both screens consider native load obligations, operating reserve requirements and other commitments of the participant's. If applicants pass both indicative screens, it is presumed that generation market power does not exist.

If the participant fails either screen, it is presumed that the generation market power exists, and the participant can then rebut the presumption with additional analyses. Alternatively, a participant may accept the presumption of market power and go directly to mitigation or inform the FERC it will adopt the default cost-base rates or propose other cost-base rates.

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