Sweeping Changes in Western Energy Markets
PacifiCorp and the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) just announced an agreement to explore the feasibility of integrating their two markets. CAISO, which oversees the only competitive electricity market in the West, manages 80 percent of the energy flow in California. Although the Nevada Valley Electric Authority joined CAISO in 2013, PacifiCorp is a much larger entity, serving 1.8 million customers across six western states. According to the COMPETE Coalition, if PacifiCorp opts to join CAISO, this would mark the ISO’s first major expansion beyond California.
