Supreme Court to review U.S. electricity market efficiency rule
Source: Reuters
US | Mon May 4, 2015 9:57am EDT
Supreme Court to review U.S. electricity market efficiency rule
WASHINGTON | BY LAWRENCE HURLEY
(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider the Obama administration's bid to revive a regulation aimed at encouraging efficiency in the electricity market by paying users to reduce consumption at peak times.
The court agreed to hear an appeal filed by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission seeking to reverse a May 2014 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that threw out the rule.
The brief court order noted that Justice Samuel Alito will be recuse in the case, meaning only eight justices will participate. The court did not give a reason.
The Electric Power Supply Association, other trade groups that represent utilities and PPL Corp challenged the regulation. They would lose out if the regulation is allowed to stay intact because it is likely to reduce demand for electricity generation.
Some utilities and companies, including EnerNOC Inc that have developed products to help customers lower electricity usage had backed the government’s appeal, as did companies like aluminum producer Alcoa Inc that can benefit from the payments.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/04/us-usa-court-electricity-idUSKBN0NP17020150504