CAISO Touts Strong Q3 For Western Energy Imbalance Market
The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) says benefits from the western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) “remained strong” during the third quarter of 2017 (Q3’17).
The grid operator has released its Q3’17 report showing that the western EIM produced benefits of $40.55 million for its five participating members. The benefits since the western regional market was launched in 2014 now total $254.98 million.
According to CAISO, western EIM participants also helped reduced carbon emissions in the region by 9,986 metric tons by using 23,331 MWh of excess renewable energy that otherwise would have been turned off.
“The western EIM continues its steady course of showing low-cost energy while improving reliability for all its participants,” says CAISO President and CEO Steve Berberich. “And just as important, the real-time market helps integrate renewables across a wider geographical area.”
During July, August and September, PacifiCorp realized benefits of $10.31 million while the CAISO saved $7.63 million and Arizona Public Service (APS) $11.08 million. NV Energy saved $8.55 million and Puget Sound Energy of Washington state realized $2.98 million during the three-month period.
APS says its customers have now benefited from more than $30 million in savings in the utility’s first year in the EIM.
“Participating in the Energy Imbalance Market has allowed us to garner efficiencies that weren’t possible a year ago,” says Brad Albert, APS vice president of resource management, in a press release….
