PJM’s Newly Ex-CEO: PJM Never Really Wanted a Market Monitor

Michael Giberson

Yesterday, PJM Interconnection announced the sudden retirement of CEO Phillip Harris. In a press release, the PJM board stated:

We are announcing that President Phillip G. Harris has elected to retire from PJM. We want to acknowledge Mr. Harris’ considerable contributions to PJM and our industry over his many years of service. Without his guidance and vision, PJM would not enjoy the reputation for technological and operational excellence that has made it the benchmark for regional transmission organizations the world over.

Restructuring Today reported today that Harris was asked to leave the position after (allegedly) telling PJM staff at a PJM event that the organization never wanted a market monitor in the first place. PJM remains embroiled in a dispute with its market monitor over the degree to which the organization interfered with the ability of the market monitoring unit to do its job. As Harris discovered, it is a very sensitive subject.

Background – previous posts on market monitoring and on PJM’s market monitor troubles:

U.S. Senator Weighs in on PJM Dispute with Market Monitor
PJM Market Monitor Reports Interference from Management
The Kluge That We Need: Local Market Power Mitigation Measures
Ex Post Market Monitoring in Electric Power Markets
Why do we have Electric Power Market Monitors?
Market Monitors in Electric Power Markets, II
The Role of Market Monitors in Electric Power Networks