Pacific Northwest members reaped an unusually large chunk of the Western EIM's benefits in the first quarter, leaning on it to keep up with demand.

California legislators will struggle with wildfire liability, while lawmakers in Washington and Nevada could debate clean energy.

CAISO said Monday its Western Energy Imbalance Market has produced more than a half-billion dollars in benefits for participants since its founding five years ago, including more than $100 million in benefits in the third quarter of 2018.

The Western Energy Imbalance Market saw financial benefits soar to a record $71.2 million in the second quarter, according to a CAISO report.

CAISO and PacifiCorp reaped the majority of the Western Energy Imbalance Market’s $42.1 million in gross benefits during the first quarter (Q1 2018).

ISO-NE has barred Invenergy’s planned Clear River Energy Center Unit 2 from offering into February’s capacity auction because of permitting delays.

PacifiCorp and NV Energy can sell power into the Western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) at market-based rates, FERC has ruled.

The CAISO-run Western EIM has increased the operational flexibility of the region’s utilities, panelists said at the Infocast Transmission Summit West.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy subsidiaries PacifiCorp and NV Energy asked FERC to lift bidding restrictions placed on them in the EIM.

CAISO hauled in the largest share of the $39.52 million in benefits produced by the EIM during the second quarter.