The ISO welcomes Salt River Project to the Western EIM
The EIM now serves more than 60 percent of WECC’s total energy load
FOLSOM, Calif. – The California Independent System Operator (ISO) welcomes two of the nation’s largest community-owned utilities – Salt River Project and Seattle City Light – to the Western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM). Combined, the two utilities serve about 1.5 million customers in the West’s first real-time energy market.
“Seattle City Light and Salt River Project’s participation in the EIM proves regional collaboration generates meaningful savings to many public and investor-owned utilities, and drives grid modernization through the effective integration of renewable resources,” said ISO President and CEO Steve Berberich.
Together with Salt River Project and Seattle City Light, the current EIM participants also include the ISO, PacifCorp, NV Energy, Puget Sound Energy, Portland General Electric, Idaho POWER, Powerex, and the Balancing Area of Northern California. The entities represent 61 percent of the load in the Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC).
The EIM uses state-of-the-art technology to find and deliver low-cost energy to meet real-time demand across eight western states. In addition to the real-time market benefits, the ISO started a stakeholder initiative process to extend the day-ahead-market to EIM participants next year, offering greater value in the market.
Benefits for EIM participants has totaled more than $861 million since its launch in November 2014. It has also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more efficiently integrating clean energy into the grid.
Other entities scheduled to join the EIM include Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, NorthWestern Energy, Turlock Irrigation District, Public Service Company of New Mexico, and BANC Phase 2 in 2021, and Tucson Electric Power, Avista, Tacoma Power, and Bonneville Power Administration in 2022.
In December 2019, Xcel Energy, together with Black Hills Colorado Electric, Colorado Springs Utilities, and Platte River Power Authority, announced their intent to join the Western EIM. The group is working with the ISO to finalize its implementation agreement and determine a date to join the market with a target of 2021.
For information on the market, quarterly benefits, reports, governance, initiatives and upcoming meetings, visit the Western EIM website.