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Home My WebLink About2025-04-18 RTO AgendaRAILBELT TRANSMISSION ORGANIZATION (RTO) GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE AGENDA April 18, 2025 8:00 AM Alaska Energy Authority Conference Room To participate dial 1-888-585-9008 and use code 212-753-619# 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL (for Committee members) 3. PUBLIC ROLL CALL (for all others present) 4. AGENDA APPROVAL 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS 6. APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES - March 21, 2025 7. OLD BUSINESS A. Working Group Update B. RTO Certificate Filing and OATT Filing – Tina Grovier 8. NEW BUSINESS 9. EXECUTIVE SESSION – (Bylaws Section 5.12.3) To discuss matters with an attorney for the Committee, the immediate knowledge of which could have an adverse effect on the finances or legal position of the Committee or Authority. 10. MEMBERS COMMENTS 11. NEXT MEETING DATE – May 2, 2025 12. ADJOURNMENT ___________________________________________________________________________ DRAFT RTO Minutes 3/21/25 Page 1 of 4 RAILBELT TRANSMISSION ORGANIZATION (RTO) GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES March 21, 2025 Alaska Energy Authority Conference Room 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Izzo, MEA, called the Railbelt Transmission Organization Governance Committee meeting to order at 11:30 a.m. A quorum was established. 2. ROLL CALL (for Committee members) Tony Izzo (Matanuska Electric Association [MEA]); Travis Million (Golden Valley Electric Association [GVEA]); Sarah Lambe (Homer Electric Association [HEA]); Brian Hickey (City of Seward); Arthur Miller (Chugach Electric Association [CEA]); Curtis Thayer (Alaska Energy Authority [AEA]); and Ed Jenkin (Railbelt Reliability Counsel [RRC]). 3. PUBLIC ROLL CALL (for all others present) Jennifer Bertolini, Mark Billingsley, Conner Erickson, Bill Price (AEA); Matt Clarkson (CEA); Kody George (City of Seward); Andrew Jensen (Governor’s Office); Daniel Heckman (GVEA); Larry Jorgensen, Jessica Spuhler (HEA); Jon Sinclair, Tony Zellers (MEA); Bernie Smith (Public); Claire Knudsen-Latta (Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA)); and Tina Grovier (Stoel Rives, RTO). 4. AGENDA APPROVAL MOTION: A motion was made by Vice Chair Million to approve the agenda. Motion seconded by Mr. Thayer. The agenda was approved with no objection. 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS - None 6. APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES – March 7, 2025 MOTION: A motion was made by Mr. Thayer to approve the Meeting Minutes of March 7, 2025. Motion seconded by Mr. Miller. The Minutes of March 7, 2025 were approved with no objection. 7. OLD BUSINESS ___________________________________________________________________________ DRAFT RTO Minutes 3/21/25 Page 2 of 4 A. Working Group Update Daniel Heckman, GVEA, provided the RTO Working Group update. Mr. Heckman noted that the Working Group recently completed a two-day working session hosted by AEA. He gave a high-level update of the meeting. The items of focus included the status of the work by the technical working group to identify backbone transmission system (BTS) assets. that will ultimately be recommended to the RTO Governance Committee. The Working Group provided guidance to the technical working group to continue their efforts on the definition. Mr. Heckman noted that much discussion occurred regarding the Open Action Transmission Tariff (OATT). A subset of the Working Group conducted a walk-through and review of the tariff from the legal and regulatory standpoint. A plan was made to address some of the technical components of the tariff while the technical working group continues to finalize its work on the BTS assets. Mr. Heckman said the discussions have been productive regarding the policy areas that will ultimately come before the RTO Governance Committee for a vote and approval. Mr. Heckman requested Tina Grovier, Stoel Rives, provide additional information, if needed. The Working Group’s next scheduled two-day session is in April, and the specific dates will be finalized after the recent developments from the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) docket on the certificate are reviewed and accommodated. Mr. Jenkin asked Mr. Heckman to provide a brief update on the discussion and efforts to unify the approach amongst the utilities to determine the Annual Transmission Revenue Requirement (ATRR). Mr. Heckman reported that the ATRR is still in development. He said that he and Ms. Grovier have discussed the next steps necessary to move forward. Mr. Heckman acknowledged that the development phase needs to move to the completion phase. Mr. Thayer stated the RTO’s next meeting on April 18, 2025. He asked for a range of the number of decisions points that will be ready and addressed for the April meeting. Ms. Grovier explained this requires more discussion since there are many ways to make these decisions. The goal is to make decisions as efficiently as possible. She requested to discuss these issues further in executive session, considering the impact on finances and the legal position of the RTO. Ms. Grovier indicated that the decisions points could be as few as one, and as many as five in the list. Mr. Thayer reported that his list of decision points contains 13 items. He would like the public to be involved in the process, and that those decision points made in April and in May are on the public record. There were no other comments or questions. B. RTO Certificate Filing and OATT Filing Ms. Grovier provided the update on the RTO Certificate Filing and the OATT Filing. Ms. Grovier ___________________________________________________________________________ DRAFT RTO Minutes 3/21/25 Page 3 of 4 noted that Regulatory Affairs & Public Advocacy (RAPA) and the RTO filed the stipulation discussed at the previous meeting. Additionally, Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG) filed its motion for summary disposition stating that RTO Subcommittee meetings should be open to the public. AKPIRG specifically wanted the governance committee to consider its motion for summary disposition today, and therefore, agreed to have the 15 days to respond beginning after today’s meeting. Ms. Grovier indicated that all three parties moved to dismiss the procedural schedule, including the hearing. However, yesterday, RCA said it was not quite ready to vacate the hearing date of April 14 and 15, 2025. The RCA also issued an order asking AKPIRG to clarify whether it objected to the discovery responses being on the record. The response is due today. Ms. Grovier indicated that she does not have anything to add beyond Mr. Heckman’s report regarding the OATT and the Working Group meetings. Ms. Grovier said she does have related matters to discuss in executive session, the immediate knowledge of which could have an adverse effect on the legal and financial position of the RTO and/or the Committee. There were no other comments or questions. 8. NEW BUSINESS- None MOTION: A motion was made by Mr. Hickey to enter Executive Session to discuss confidential and financial matters related to the RTO finances and legal strategy. This is consistent with the Bylaws, which allows a Board to consider confidential matters in executive session. In this case, the RTO believes that these subjects would have an adverse effect upon the finances of the RTO, are being discussed with an attorney, the immediate knowledge of which could have an adverse effect on the legal position of the Committee or are protected by law due to rules protecting personal privacy and certain business information. Motion seconded by Vice Chair Million. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion to enter into Executive Session passed without objection. 9. EXECUTIVE SESSION – 11:45 am. To discuss matters with an attorney for the Committee, the immediate knowledge of which could have an adverse effect on the legal position of the Committee or Authority. The RTO Governance Committee reconvened its regular meeting at 1:40 p.m. Chair Izzo advised that the RTO did not take any formal action on matters discussed while in Executive Session, except as authorized in the Bylaws (Section 5.12.2), to give directions to an attorney or a negotiator regarding the handling of specific legal matters or pending negotiations. 10. MEMBERS COMMENTS Ms. Lambe expressed appreciation to members, and noted that Brad Janorschke (HEA) will ___________________________________________________________________________ DRAFT RTO Minutes 3/21/25 Page 4 of 4 attend the next meeting. Mr. Hickey expressed appreciation to members and the Working Committees for their efforts in moving in the right direction. Vice Chair Million thanked Ms. Grovier for her continued guidance throughout the process. He thanked Mr. Heckman and the Working Group for their time and efforts. A member echoed Vice Chair Million’s comments. Mr. Thayer expressed appreciation to everybody. He noted that the meeting on April 18, 2025 will be scheduled as a longer meeting. A member expressed appreciation to everybody, especially Ms. Grovier, Mr. Heckman, and the Working Group for their diligent efforts. Chair Izzo echoed the previous comments, and expressed particular appreciation to Jennifer Bertolini (AEA) for her administrative acumen. 11. NEXT MEETING DATE – April 18, 2025, 8:00 am. 12. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business for the committee, the meeting adjourned at 1:47 p.m. ______________________________________ Tony Izzo, Chair _______________________________________ Curtis W. Thayer, Secretary