The stars may not yet have aligned for CAISO in the contest to bring an organized electricity market to the West, but key industry players appeared to be doing just that at an ISO event to celebrate the progress of its Extended Day-Ahead Market.

The coalition of utility commissioners that proposed the creation of an independent Western RTO is wasting no time getting the project up and running.

CAISO scored a potentially important victory when the Balancing Authority of Northern California said it will pursue membership in the ISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market — and not SPP’s Markets+.

CAISO asked FERC to approve the rules for its EDAM and revisions to its existing day-ahead market, intended to more accurately forecast load.

State regulators have launched a process to develop “guiding principles” regarding participation in a regional day-ahead market or RTO.

While some stakeholders are ‘charmed’ by SPP’s market initiative effort, others urge need for deeper tie to CAISO.

The Western Energy Imbalance Market topped $4 billion in cumulative benefits in the second quarter of 2023, just six months after it topped the $3 billion mark.

Utility regulators from Oregon and California discussed their proposal for a new independent RTO covering the entire West for the first time publicly.

The competition for organized markets in the West grew Friday as the Bonneville Power Administration launched a process to choose between day-ahead markets proposed by CAISO and SPP and regulators from five Western states urged the establishment of a new, independent RTO covering the entire West.

Changes meant to improve the performance of CAISO’s day-ahead market and the planned day-ahead expansion of its Western Energy Imbalance Market won board approval.