CAISO released its final draft proposal out of its Interconnection Process Enhancements, its initiative to address the “unprecedented and unsustainable interconnection request volumes” submitted in the current and prior study windows.

Imports from the Southwest and Rockies helped the Northwest survive January’s cold, showing the region’s reliability is at a “tipping point,” WPP said.

CAISO wants to stop taking new interconnection applications this year as it works through the “unprecedented volume” of requests submitted for the previous study period.

CAISO’s WEIM last year hit $5.05 billion in benefits for its members since its inception in 2014, continuing the positive trend of growth tied to an expanding Western footprint.

FERC released the latest iteration of its Common Metrics Report on ISO/RTO markets, which evaluates their performance and benefits.

Stakeholders have discussed the likelihood that there may be two day-ahead markets in the West, CAISO’s Extended Day-ahead Market and SPP’s Markets+ and/or RTO West.

CAISO staff and stakeholders are looking to re-evaluate the RA Availability Incentive Mechanism and explore whether it should be replaced with a new program using an unforced capacity construct to ensure sufficient RA capacity.

The change of heart comes as participants in the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative work to build the framework for an independent RTO.