California ISO to introduce new grid tools

The California Independent System Operator Corp. (California ISO) has released several enhancements. The new features and products add new forecasting tools for use in the California ISO control room, provide a broader array of choices for market participants and make it easier for renewable power and other diverse resources to participate in the state's competitive wholesale markets.

"Over the next 18 months, the California ISO intends to implement a series of additions to the basic market design that reflect improvements stakeholders have asked for, or in some cases, elements that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requires," says Steve Berberich, vice president of technology and corporate services for California ISO. "We recognize some functionality will launch beyond dates specified in FERC orders, and we pledge to implement those functions as quickly as possible while ensuring the implementation is done effectively and correctly."

The new market elements include new wind-forecasting applications, enhancements to the market bidding interface process, changing the way the ISO accounts for different generator operating characteristics and improving the process for generator owners to input power plant information into ISO databases. These changes are in final market simulation stages and will be fully deployed by this fall.