Collection of Connected Entity Data From Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to amend its regulations to require each regional transmission organization (RTO) and independent system operator (ISO) to electronically deliver to the Commission, on an ongoing basis, data required from its market participants that would; first identify the market participants by means of a common alpha-numeric identifier; and secondly list their ``Connected Entities,'' which includes entities that have certain ownership, employment, debt, or contractual relationships to the market participants, as specified in this NOPR; and finally describe in brief the nature of the relationship of each Connected Entity. Such information will assist screening and investigative efforts to detect market manipulation, an enforcement priority of the Commission. The initiative would also assist market monitors for the RTOs and ISOs in their individual and joint investigations of potential cross-market manipulation. Unless the RTOs and ISOs request continuation of existing affiliate disclosure requirements based on a particularized need, the Commission expects that this new disclosure obligation will supplant all existing affiliate disclosures requirements contained in the RTOs and ISOs tariffs. The proposed definitional uniformity of the term ``Connected Entity'' across all of the RTOs and ISOs may help ease compliance burdens on market participants that are active in more than one RTO or ISO, and that are now required to submit affiliate information that may be unique to each of the organized markets in which they participate.