The Balancing Authority of Northern California (BANC) on Nov. 25 became the third entity to formally join CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM), following PacifiCorp and Portland General Electric (PGE).  

“BANC is pleased to execute the EDAM implementation agreement with the ISO,” BANC General Manager Jim Shetler said in a press release, adding that CAISO’s Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) “has brought BANC and its members reliability, economic and environmental benefits.” 

“EDAM participation is viewed as the next logical step to expand on those benefits. We look forward to working with the ISO to achieve a spring 2027 go-live date,” Shetler said.  

Shetler has been a key participant on the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative’s Launch Committee, which on Nov. 22 passed its “Step 2” proposal to establish an independent “regional organization” to assume governance of the WEIM/EDAM, a move that will require a change in California law. (See Amid Praise for Pathways Step 2 Milestone, Skeptics Remain Unmoved and Pathways Backers Express Confidence on Calif. Legislation.)   

BANC is a joint powers authority consisting of six utilities: Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Modesto Irrigation District, Roseville Electric, Redding Electric Utility, Trinity Public Utility District and the City of Shasta Lake. It has been a WEIM member since 2019.   

In 2023, BANC was one of the first entities — along with its largest member, SMUD — to announce its intent to join the EDAM, after PacifiCorp. (See BANC Moving to Join CAISO’s EDAM.) 

The formal commitment comes a month after the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) said its Sierra Nevada (SN) region would pursue “final negotiations” to join the EDAM, clearing the way for BANC to formally join. (See WAPA Sierra Nevada Region to Advance with EDAM.) 

“We are excited to welcome BANC as the first public power balancing authority to formally commit to join EDAM,” CAISO CEO Elliot Mainzer said. “They have been a valued partner whose voice has been instrumental to the design of EDAM, and we look forward to having them join the market to deliver more benefits to their customers.” 

Along with formal commitments from BANC, PacifiCorp and PGE, three other entities have signaled their interest in joining EDAM: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, BHE Montana and PNM. An additional two entities, Idaho Power and NV Energy, have indicated they favor EDAM.  

Arizona G&T Cooperatives, consisting of utilities that represent 70% of WAPA Desert Southwest’s load, also recently announced it will conduct a study on the benefits of joining EDAM. (See Arizona G&T Cooperatives Announces Pursuit of EDAM Benefits Study.)

The Pathways Initiative’s “Step 1” plan, which elevates the Western Energy Markets Governing Body to become the “primary” authority over the WEIM/EDAM compared with the “joint” authority it currently shares with the ISO’s Board of Governors, will be triggered once EDAM commitments from non-ISO load reach 70% of ISO load. BANC’s participation means EDAM has achieved commitment from 53% of non-ISO load compared with ISO load.  

BANC’s EDAM implementation agreement is slated to be filed with FERC in December.  

SPP’s competing Markets+ offering on Nov. 25 won its first public commitments from four Arizona utilities, although the RTO is still awaiting FERC approval for the market’s tariff and no implementation agreements have been signed. (See 4 Arizona Utilities Commit to Joining Markets+.)