The Nittany Lions are looking for their first ever playoff win. | Shutterstock

December 20, 2024

The first round of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff begins tonight, followed by three more games on Saturday.

Tonight’s primetime game features No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame. The Hoosiers have been a “football Cinderella” this year. They haven’t played the toughest schedule, but they dominated most teams they played. The toughest they faced by far was No. 8 Ohio State, and they got smacked. I fear it may be more of the same tonight. I’ll (begrudgingly) take Notre Dame. 

No. 11 SMU travels to Beaver Stadium to play No. 6 Penn State at noon on Saturday. James Franklin can’t possibly lose this one … can he? Please don’t. 

No. 12 Clemson takes on No. 5 Texas in the midafternoon game that features the biggest spread of them all. Can you win but still feel like you backed your way into the playoffs? That’s Clemson winning the ACC’s automatic bid. We’ll see if the Tigers can outscore the Longhorns. I say no. 

Lastly, the nightcap pits No. 9 Tennessee at Ohio State. Some think OSU Coach Ryan Day’s job is on the line, even though his team always seems to be in whatever playoffs exist at the time. But I can’t help feel as if the Vols, from the mighty SEC, feel disrespected and want to show the world they belong. I don’t know about this one. Let’s just say I would not include this in my parlay. 

Now, here is what RTO Insider has in its parlay of news stories.

From everyone at RTO Insider, thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your day! Also, be sure to check out our latest news from NetZero Insider below! 

Shawn McFarland 

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The latest from NetZero Insider:

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• FERC Approves NERC Assessment, Seeks Comment on IBR Standards
  

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Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings:

• 12/20/24: SPP Markets+ State Committee Meeting
• 12/20/24: NYISO Load Forecasting Task Force Meeting
• 1/6/25: NYISO Transmission Planning Advisory Subcommittee and Electric System Planning Working Group Meeting
• 1/7/25: PJM Planning Committee Meeting
• 1/7/25: NYISO Installed Capacity/Market Issues/Price-Responsive Load Working Groups Meeting
• 1/7/25: PJM Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee Meeting
• 1/8/25: New York State Reliability Council Installed Capacity Subcommittee Meeting
• 1/8/25: PJM Market Implementation Committee Meeting
• 1/9/25: SPP REAL Team Meeting
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• 1/9/25: NYISO Communication & Data Advisory Subcommittee Meeting
• 1/9/25: NEPOOL Participants Committee Meeting
• 1/9/25: NYISO System Operations Advisory Subcommittee Meeting
• 1/14/25: NEPOOL Markets Committee Meeting
• 1/15/25: NEPOOL Markets Committee Meeting
• 1/15/25: MISO Resource Adequacy Subcommittee Meeting
• 1/15/25: CAISO Interconnection Process Enhancements Meeting
• 1/16/25: PJM Market Implementation Committee Special Session
• 1/16/25: MISO Market Subcommittee Meeting
• 1/16/25: NYISO Operating Committee Meeting

COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT

RioSol Capacity Allocation

On January 6, 2025, El Rio Sol Transmission, LLC (“RioSol”) will commence an open solicitation process to award up to 1,600 MW of bi-directional, point-to-point, firm transmission capacity.  RioSol is holding this open solicitation process pursuant to its FERC authorization issued in Docket No. ER24-1726-000, dated July 5, 2024.

The RioSol Transmission Project consists of a proposed single-circuit, 500 kV alternating current electric transmission line and several substations that will transport energy from Arizona and New Mexico to customers and markets across the Desert Southwest.  RioSol is seeking parties that can meet our criteria and work with us to enable the transmission project to commence construction by the end of 2026 and commence operating by the end of 2028.  More information about the project can be found at www.riosol.energy.

RioSol has engaged Energy Strategies to manage the open solicitation process.  Specific information about the forthcoming open solicitation process and timing can be found at www.riosol-os.com.  On 12/18/2024, RioSol will host a webinar to review the project and Open Solicitation process and to answer questions from prospective customers.  To sign up for the webinar, email RioSol-OS@energystrat.com. 

Starting on January 6, 2025, interested entities may obtain a request for participation form and a confidentiality agreement via www.riosol-os.com and submit them to RioSol-OS@energystrat.com.  Subsequently, interested entities deemed to have a legitimate interest in obtaining transmission capacity on RioSol will be provided with a confidential information memorandum and the expression of interest form.  Completed expression of interest forms will be due no later than February 7, 2025.

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