The near shutdown of the California-Oregon Intertie by a wildfire renewed concerns about the vulnerability of major transmission pathways.

The West needs new transmission near term and far more in the long term for California to meets its goal to provide customers with 100% clean energy.

SPP CEO Barbara Sugg briefed WECC’s Board of Directors last week on the RTO’s efforts in the Western Interconnection and potential benefits for stakeholders there, including full membership in SPP’s proposed RTO West. SPP operates as a reliability coordinator in parts of the West and is helping the Northwest Power Pool develop a multistate resource …

Continue reading "SPP CEO Pitches WECC on Western Benefits"

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada said a Western market would help alleviate supply shortfalls like those that occurred last August.

FERC provided guidance to Western electricity sellers on how and when to seek exceptions for transactions that exceed the region’s $1,000/MWh soft cap.

FERC accepted penalties against a number of entities, including Entergy and the Tennessee Valley Authority, for violations of NERC reliability standards.

Summer reliability “is shaping up to be a challenge for electric system operators” in most of the ERO Enterprise thanks to extreme weather, NERC said.

Extreme heat and drought conditions are a major cause for concern in the Western Interconnection, according to FERC’s summer assessment.

Utility wildfire experts told WECC that another expected year of hot, dry weather will increase the danger of major fires in the West.

NERC’s Board of Trustees and Member Representatives Committee approved a slew of actions at a packed virtual meeting on Thursday.