BPA would have to strike several types of agreements, many of which are complex and could take years to implement, to tackle seams that could arise if BPA joins a day-ahead market, agency staff said during a workshop.

BPA could face high implementation fees and operating costs under both SPP’s Markets+ and CAISO’s EDAM, but exact amounts are in flux.

The committee tasked with laying the groundwork for an independent Western RTO is confronting a complex set of challenges on an ambitious timeline.

Electricity sector stakeholders expressed divisions over BPA's plan to pursue an aggressive timeline for deciding whether to join CAISO’s EDAM or SPP’s Markets+.

Potential SPP Markets+ participants democratically endorsed the first pieces of the day-ahead market’s tariff, acquiring a taste of the grid operator’s stakeholder process at the same time.

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

SPP Markets+ stakeholders kicked off the development phase of a proposed “RTO-light” service in the West, heating up the race with CAISO.

SPP has rolled out the governance structure that will oversee the first developmental phase of Markets+, its day-ahead and real-time market in the West.

The Western Power Pool approved the tariff for its Western Resource Adequacy Program, readying the first-of-its-kind program for review by FERC.

BPA is on track to enter the Western Energy Imbalance Market on May 3, despite lingering issues with software systems related to market integration.