The development of a single RTO covering the U.S. portion of the Western Interconnection could save $2 billion a year in energy costs by 2030, study says.

During a meeting of the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners, regulators shared strategies for dealing with heat waves, cold snaps and wildfires.

FERC on Tuesday found that Idaho Power had satisfied the commission’s standards for market-based rate authority and terminated a Section 206 proceeding it had ordered last September to find out if the utility was exercising market power in its balancing authority area (ER10-2126). The proceeding was meant to determine if...

By Rich Heidorn Jr. PHILADELPHIA — Has weather become so extreme that utilities should end the universal service model and stop serving at-risk locations? Margaret Peloso | © RTO Insider It’s something that should be considered, Margaret Peloso, a partner in Vinson & Elkins’ Environmental & Natural Resources practice, told...

By Jason Fordney FERC on Thursday approved a package of modifications to improve market efficiency developed by CAISO for the Western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM). It also issued several other decisions related to Western states and energy markets. The commission said the EIM measures would improve efficiency by automating manual...

Don Pedro Reservoir Scheduled For Major Refurbishment in 2017 The Don Pedro Reservoir hydrofacility is scheduled for three major refurbishment projects in its Power Tunnel in 2017, costing an estimated $7 million. | Google The work will be completed in two phases, each taking about 45 days. The first phase,...

Imperial Approves Hoover Dam Contract Imperial Irrigation District last week approved an agreement to secure an additional 3 MW of renewable energy from the Hoover Dam, bringing the reallocation total up to 10 MW for the next 50 years. IID will pay an all-in rate of $27 to $29/MWh, compared with...

By Robert Mullin Critics of CAISO’s most recent draft proposal of principles for governing a Western RTO contend the ISO is moving too quickly to get a plan to California lawmakers before the close of the current legislative session in September. Speaking at a joint state agency workshop in Sacramento...

By Robert Mullin CAISO has released a revised set of principles for governing a Western RTO in a bid to convince skeptics that an expanded ISO will be amenable to the entire region. The new document won initial praise, although doubts remain. The ISO’s governance changes seek to address the...