USA:

Regulators OK Novel Plan for 'Real Time' Power Sharing in the West (Environment & Energy Publishing)

Energy Imbalance Market will improve integration of more renewable energy, including geothermal energy, into the regional grid

Federal energy regulators today signed off on a politically popular plan that allows California's grid manager to launch a voluntary "real time" energy market and share its electricity resources with five Western states.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission unanimously voted to conditionally accept the California Independent System Operator's (CAISO) proposal -- as made through tariff revisions -- to design an energy imbalance market, or EIM, which pools energy resources in parts of Oregon, Washington, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.

A study by CAISO and PacifiCorp of the benefits from an energy imbalance market for their balancing authority areas projected annual consumer benefits of up to $129 million from economic efficiencies, improved renewable integration and increased reliability.

State grid operators have proposed to launch the market on Oct. 1.

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