Leaders of four large utilities reflected on the evolution of Western markets and looked toward the future at CAISO’s Stakeholder Symposium, emphasizing a shift toward more collaboration as large industry players choose which day-ahead market to join.

The Western Area Power Administration said its Sierra Nevada region will pursue “final negotiations” to join CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market, notching another — if expected — victory for the ISO in its competition with SPP’s Markets+.  

A group of Southwest electric cooperatives explore ways to motivate the Western Area Power Administration’s Desert Southwest Region to join CAISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market.

MISO wants FERC to reconsider its decision to let a jointly managed flowgate with SPP stand, with the RTO arguing the North Dakota cryptomining facility burdening the line is SPP’s responsibility alone.

The Western Area Power Administration’s non-jurisdictional Open Access Transmission Tariff does not meet the standard of an “acceptable reciprocity tariff,” despite recent revisions the federal power agency incorporated into the tariff, FERC ruled.

SPP filed bylaw amendments at FERC to place seven Western entities under its tariff that, if approved, will make the RTO the first grid operator with markets in both major interconnections.

SPP CEO Barbara Sugg warned the RTO’s board and stakeholders that the grid operator faces new and stronger headwinds, even as it met its corporate goals’ first-quarter milestones.

FERC accepted SPP’s proposed tariff revisions modifying Central Power Electric Cooperative’s formula rate template but suspended them for a nominal period subject to refund and established hearing and settlement procedures.