Operator

California’s state-chartered independent transmission gridoperator, Cal-ISO, late Wednesday asked federal regulators for helpin possible refunds of up to $550 million for December and Januarywholesale charges in the emergency real-time market. Cal-ISO toldFERC the charges exceeded federally-established benchmark levels.

The California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) isviolating its tariff and discriminating against electric generatorswith in-state facilities by paying them far less for emergencypower than it does for similar purchases made from marketers andgenerators located outside of California, a major in-stategenerator contends.

As infrastructure and market functioning problems persistedMonday, the California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) calledits 14th Stage One power alert since Nov. 1 and the 46th of theyear, signifying its reserves were expected to dip below 7% whendemand peaked between 5-7 p.m. PST. Initial indications were thatCal-ISO’s price cap lifting late Friday brought additional supplybids but had no impact on easing price increases.

The California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) Wednesdaybegan some joint inspections of off-line power plants as it facedthe possibility of declaring a Stage Three alert. Officials had notdeclared the alert as of press time.

The New York Independent System Operator (ISO) walked away fromFERC empty-handed last week, as the Commission cited itsdisappointment with the regional power group’s failure to reduceconcentration in the 10-minute non-spinning reserves market.

The New York Independent System Operator (ISO) walked away fromFERC empty handed yesterday, as the Commission cited itsdisappointment with the regional power group’s failure to reduceconcentration in the 10-minute non-spinning reserves market.

As an interim measure prior to California’s state-charteredelectric transmission grid operator (Cal-ISO) making longer-termchanges, its board of governors adopted by a 13-10 vote lastThursday a load differentiated price cap promoted by a consumeradvocate representative on the badly splintered stakeholder board.The action drew swift criticism from generators through theirWashington, DC-based association.

Independent power marketers have denounced efforts by theCalifornia Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) to extend itspurchase price cap authority, fearing it would give the Cal-ISO”unfettered” control over wholesale electric market prices in thestate. But California investor-owned utilities, Southern CaliforniaEdison and Pacific Gas and Electric, and the California PowerExchange (Cal-PX) and California Electricity Oversight Board see anupside to the Cal-ISO’s request.

Independent power marketers are opposed to any extension of theCalifornia Independent System Operator’s (Cal-ISO) purchase pricecap authority, saying it would give the Cal-ISO “unfettered”control over wholesale electric market prices in the state. Butinvestor-owned utility, Southern California Edison, and theCalifornia Power Exchange (Cal-PX) see an upside to the Cal-ISO’srequest.