When a penny for your thoughts actually costs 3 cents … | Shutterstock

January 28, 2025

It has been used to make wishes and souvenirs. It can allow you to gauge the depth of your tire tread. It has been thought of as a bringer of good luck. Despite all those things, the penny may have finally outlived its real-world value.

The newly created Department of Government Efficiency is said to be considering ending the production of the penny, as the cost to produce the currency rose to 3.07 cents in 2023. While the U.S. could join the likes of Canada, New Zealand and Australia and eliminate the use of the coin and save the U.S. Mint some $179 million in costs, it would essentially force all physical transactions to be rounded by 5 cents. While the nickel presents problems of its own, I have known people to literally throw away pennies because they were taking up room or weren’t worth the trouble of keeping. Wait. Did I just incriminate someone? 

I can’t remember the last time I used a penny for anything. Not to mention most transactions nowadays tend to be digital or card-based. So, if they were to disappear, I wouldn’t pay it any mind. 

Now, see how much sense these RTO Insider news stories make.

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 

The latest from RTO Insider:

• Ariz. Commissioner Questions Utility Decisions to Join SPP’s Markets+
• El Paso Electric to Join SPP’s Markets+ in 2028
• ERCOT Fills out Board with 2 New Directors
• FERC Approves CAISO Energy Storage Bid Cost Recovery Changes
• FERC Drops Consideration of GHG Policy Statement for Gas Infrastructure
• New England Lobbyists Preview 2025 State Legislative Sessions
• PJM MRC/MC Briefs: Jan. 23, 2024
• Voltus Files Complaint to Hit Brakes on MISO’s Stepped-up DR Testing
• Western Regulators Clarifying Their Role in Markets+
• WPP Stronger After Modernizing, Staff Hires, CEO Says

The latest from NetZero Insider:

• USEA Forum Charts New Focus on ‘All-of-the-above’ Energy Policies
  

P.S. Want to skip this daily email and just receive our newsletter on Tuesdays? Want to opt out of our event promotion emails? You can set your email delivery preferences here - and change them any time you want. Note: if you're not logged in, do so and then click "My Account" in the top-right corner and scroll down to the "Requested Emails" section.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings:

• 1/28/25: MISO Interconnection Process Working Group Meeting
• 1/29/25: MISO Planning Subcommittee Meeting
• 1/29/25: NYISO Management Committee Meeting
• 2/3/25: NYISO Transmission Planning Advisory Subcommittee and Electric System Planning Working Group Meeting
• 2/3/25: ERCOT Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
• 2/3/25: ERCOT HR and Governance Committee Meeting
• 2/3/25: ERCOT Reliability and Markets Committee Meeting
• 2/3/25: ERCOT Technology and Security Committee Meeting
• 2/4/25: SPP Board of Directors and Members Committee Meeting
• 2/4/25: PJM Planning Committee Meeting
• 2/4/25: NYISO Installed Capacity/Market Issues/Price-Responsive Load Working Groups Meeting
• 2/4/25: ERCOT Board of Directors Meeting
• 2/4/25: PJM Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee Meeting
• 2/5/25: New York State Reliability Council Installed Capacity Subcommittee Meeting
• 2/5/25: SPP REAL Team Meeting
• 2/5/25: PJM Market Implementation Committee Meeting
• 2/5/25: MISO Advisory Committee Meeting
• 2/6/25: PJM Operating Committee Meeting
• 2/6/25: NYISO Communication & Data Advisory Subcommittee Meeting
• 2/6/25: NEPOOL Participants Committee Meeting
• 2/6/25: NYISO System Operations Advisory Subcommittee Meeting
• 2/11/25: NEPOOL Markets Committee Meeting
  
• 2/11/25: CAISO WEM Governing Body Meeting
  
• 2/12/25: NEPOOL Markets Committee Meeting
  
• 2/12/25: NYISO Business Issues Committee Meeting
  
• 2/12/25: CAISO Joint Board of Governors and WEM Governing Body General Session
  
• 2/13/25: PJM Market Implementation Committee Special Session
  
• 2/13/25: NEPOOL Reliability Committee Meeting
  
• 2/13/25: NYISO Operating Committee Meeting
  
• 2/13/25: CAISO Board of Governors and Committees Meeting

Events We Think You'll Appreciate: