MISO and its Market Monitor have joined Dynegy in denying allegations of improper conduct in the RTO’s Planning Resource Auction last April, which resulted in a nine-fold price increase in Zone 4.

A consumer group has asked the FERC to launch an emergency investigation as to whether Dynegy illegally manipulated MISO’s Planning Resource Auction last April, resulting in a nine-fold price increase in Zone 4.

Some generators may have taken advantage of January’s weather to boost their prices, the Market Monitor said in its quarterly State of the Market report Friday.

The winter’s high prices for gas and power have busted budgets and left state regulators and consumer advocates scrambling for answers. FERC says it has seen no evidence of market manipulation.