News

E&E News reports that Bonneville Power Administration has issued a draft decision to join Southwest Power Pool's Markets+. This move could cement a bifurcated electricity market in the West. United's Brian Turner expressed concerns that a split market would create inefficiencies, increase costs, and limit the ability to share clean energy resources across the region. Studies indicate that a split market will result in seams that will create economic and operation friction. 

RTO Insider reports on the Step 2 bill of the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative, which aims to modify CAISO’s governance structure by creating an independent regional organization (RO) to oversee the Western Energy Imbalance Market and Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM). United's Brian Turner and Leah Rubin Shen emphasized that the bill should strictly enable CAISO’s participation in a regional market without imposing California’s clean energy policies on other states.

The Nevada Independent reports on NV Energy's decision to convert the North Valmy Generating Station from coal to natural gas instead of retiring it as originally promised. United's Brian Turner criticized this decision, saying that NV Energy missed an opportunity to transition to renewable energy, and warned that this move will keep Nevada dependent on fossil fuels and burden ratepayers with the costs for decades. 

RTO Insider reports that four Arizona utilities announced their plans to join SPP’s Markets+ day-ahead market over CAISO’s competing Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM). United's Brian Turner expressed caution, stating that two Western day-ahead markets will create seams and market inefficiencies.  

POLITICO reports on the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative (WWGPI)'s new proposal to regionalize the Western power grid, which is expected to gain broad bipartisan support despite potential challenges from a Trump-appointed FERC leadership. The article quotes United's Brian Turner, a member of the WWGPI Launch Committee, discussing how this move will strengthen regional cooperation. 

Utility Dive reports on the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative (WWGPI) draft Step 2 proposal that would create an independent organization to oversee the Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) and pending Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM), which are run by the California Independent System Operator. The article quotes United's Brian Turner, a member of the WWGPI Launch Committee, saying that this independent organization could evolve to offer a full range of regional transmission organization services. 

NewsData reports on the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative (WWGPI) draft Step 2 proposal. The draft Step 2 proposal includes several components: regional organization (RO) scope and function, formation of the RO, governance of the RO, public-interest protections, and the stakeholder process. The article quotes United's Brian Turner, a member of the WWGPI Launch Committee, saying that this proposal represents a significant step toward improving electricity markets in the West and addressing long-standing barriers.

RTO Insider covered the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative Stakeholder Process workshop and said that the West faces a “pivotal” opportunity to develop a fresh approach to managing its electricity markets. The article quotes United's Brian Turner discussing thenew governance approach and model. 

The Nevada Current covers NV Energy’s request for its Greenlink transmission project and its latest Integrated Resource Plan which proposes substantial investments in gas peaker plants and renewable energy projects.Brian Turner of Advanced Energy United criticizes NV Energy for its lack of transparency, alleging opaque practices that could lead to higher costs for customers. 

Utility Dive covers NV Energy's 2024 IRP proposing more than 1,000 MW of each solar and storage, as well as the construction of 400MW of gas peakers. The story quotes United's Brian Turner, who finds NV Energy's IRP encouraging in its approach to demand and system planning but disappointing in its resource procurement.