FERC on Thursday approved a rule to improve coordination of the natural gas and electric markets, adopting two gas scheduling changes but declining to move the start of the gas day to 4 a.m. CT from 9 a.m.

The electric and natural gas industries remain divided over the start of the gas day, nine months after FERC proposed changing the start time from 9 a.m. CT to 4 a.m. CT.

FERC has set a six-month deadline for the natural gas and electric industries to better align their daily schedules, in order for the gas operating day to start earlier.

Natural gas pipelines will move their nominating schedules later in the day, and PJM will move its Day Ahead schedule forward enhancing gas electric coordination.