Operating Committee
Aaron Markham, NYISO vice president of operations, presented the 2025-2026 Winter Capacity Assessment and Winter Preparedness forecasts to the Operating Committee on Nov. 13.
The ISO found that 29,893 MW of resources are available to meet a forecasted peak demand of 24,200 MW. The peak last winter was on Jan. 22, 2025, at 23,521 MW. Under more extreme forecast conditions, capacity margins could be as tight as 993 MW, assuming only firm fuel. Roughly 2,100 MW of power is available this winter through emergency operating procedures.
Markham also presented the Operations Report for October. Peak load was 20,278 MW on Oct. 6 around 6 p.m. Wind set an all-time record of 2,389 MW generated on Oct. 31, while solar peaked at 4,502 MW on Oct. 1. Several transmission facilities associated with Smart Path Connect came on service incrementally throughout the month.
The committee passed a motion updating the Reliability Analysis Data Manual to clarify certain sections and include data requirements for recently adopted rules.
Business Issues Committee
The Business Issues Committee on Nov. 12 voted to recommend that the Management Committee approve the Winter Reliability Capacity Enhancements tariff revisions.
The changes would, among other things, split the capacity market into seasons with separate requirements. (See NYISO: Winter Reliability Proposal to Increase Market Efficiency.) The motion passed over opposition from NRG Energy and Hydro-Quebec. The New York Utility Intervention Unit, the New York Energy Research and Development Authority, and Danske Commodities abstained.
Matt Schwall of AlphaGen was elected as the committee’s vice chair.
Budget & Priorities Working Group
The Budget & Priorities Working Group held a short meeting Nov. 10 to discuss the ISO’s draft corporate incentive goals and possible consumer impact analysis studies for 2026.
The corporate incentive goals are structured as penalties to a pooled “incentive payout” awarded at the end of the year. The draft goals for 2026 include maintaining the continuity of the bulk power system in compliance with NERC and NYISO operating procedures; maintaining ERO and state reliability standards; the day-ahead market schedule being posted 100% of the time; and not creating market problems with material adverse impacts greater than $100 million in a calendar year.
NYISO also included a “quality goal” of posting the Gold Book by April 30, 2026, and the Reliability Needs Assessment by Dec. 31, 2026. “Strategic goals” include deploying the software required to incorporate the Champlain Hudson Power Express; updating the ISO’s reliability planning process; and completing the additional system deliverability upgrade studies in time to inform interconnection customers in the transition cluster study and avoid termination of the study.
