California senators heard arguments for and against the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative, with some lawmakers voicing concerns about guardrails against market manipulation and what the effort means for the state's autonomy to set its own policies.

The Bonneville Power Administration should remain in CAISO’s WEIM and hold off on joining a day-ahead market, Seattle City Light and other Northwest parties urged in a letter sent to BPA CEO John Hairston.

The federal government has put on hold nearly $1 million in funding toward the development of a new independent Western RO to oversee CAISO’s WEIM and EDAM, the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative’s Launch Committee said.

The language for the proposed bill to implement “Step 2” of the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative stipulates the conditions under which CAISO and California utilities can participate in energy markets governed by an independent regional organization.

CAISO's Western Energy Imbalance Market provided participants $374.25 million in benefits during the fourth quarter of 2024, down about 4% from the same period a year earlier, according to an ISO report.

El Paso Electric says it will join SPP’s regional day-ahead Markets+ service offering in a “strategic move … tailored” to meet expected customer load growth and evolving needs.

Establishing a fast-start pricing mechanism in CAISO and the WEIM is complex and brings few benefits compared to other potential market enhancements, the ISO's Department of Market Monitoring said.