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.
Topics: United In The News, Western RTO, Brian Turner
SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, Senate Chair of Energy, Utilities and Communication Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) and Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) introduced SB 540, legislation aimed at optimizing California’s energy markets, increasing grid reliability, reducing costs for ratepayers, and accelerating the transition to a clean energy future.
Topics: State Policy, Press Releases, Western RTO, California
Study shows that a larger and more diverse day-ahead market will provide greater economic benefits for Californians.
SACRAMENTO, CA—A new study was presented today by the Brattle Group for the California Energy Commission (CEC) that evaluates the economic benefits and reliability impacts of the day-ahead market footprint on California customers.
Topics: Press Releases, Western RTO, California
California Clean Energy Business Representatives, Environmental Advocates, and Community Choice Aggregators express support for the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative Step 2 Proposal
Today, the West-Wide Governance Pathways Launch Committee voted to approve the final version of its Step 2 Proposal issued in mid-November. Step 2 proposes establishing a new, independent Regional Organization (RO) to oversee Western energy markets. The RO will provide fully independent governance for the Western Energy Imbalance Market and Extended Day-Ahead Market, while CAISO will remain the market operator.
Topics: Press Releases, Western RTO, California
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.
Topics: United In The News, Western RTO, Brian Turner
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.
Topics: United In The News, Western RTO, California, Brian Turner
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.
Topics: United In The News, Western RTO, California, Brian Turner
Western Regional Electricity Market Progress Continues to be Made
Today, the Launch Committee for the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative released Step 2 of its Straw Proposal, which proposes to establish a new, independent Regional Organization (RO) to govern existing regional energy markets (EIM and EDAM), as well as potentially provide additional market services in the future. Clean energy industry representatives from Advanced Energy United, Renew Home, Enel North America, and Leap provided the following statements on the proposal, which will also help advance efforts to build a regional transmission organization (RTO) in the West.
Topics: Wholesale Markets, Press Releases, Leah Rubin Shen, Western RTO, California
Approval marks a significant development for the West, says Advanced Energy United
The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) approved the first step of the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative’s straw proposal. Step 1 of the straw proposal increases the independence of the existing CAISO real-time and day-ahead markets’ governance by providing more autonomy to the existing Western Energy Market Governing Body.
Topics: Wholesale Markets, Press Releases, Leah Rubin Shen, Western RTO, California
Canary Media covers recent developments, potential benefits, and regulatory hurdles related to the creation of a regional Western RTO. The story quotes United's Brian Turner, who highlights the importance of establishing a cohesive energy market in the West.
Topics: United In The News, Western RTO, California, Brian Turner