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West Coast RTO Initiative Inches Forward
The West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative seeks to create a new, independent regional organization (RO) with a territory including Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. The RTO would, among other things, assume the extended day ahead market (EDAM) and energy imbalance market (EIM) currently run by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). While CAISO currently takes a joint governance approach to these markets, proponents argue that a unified western market would allow for expansion of EDAM and EIM benefits while avoiding duplication of the investments and expenses of the market infrastructure that has already been created.
On April 7, 2025, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) submitted comments on Pathways’ formation board proposal. Of note, BPA recommended that the Launch Committee: (1) “establish requirements that meetings of the interim Regional Organization Board will be subject to advanced public notice and include access by webinar for all discussion” with requirements including “the posting of meeting recordings and decisions, with the exception of executive sessions”; (2) “needs to elaborate on the proposed duties and limitations, such as duration of service, long-term strategy decision making, and accountability, of the interim Regional Organization Board, as well as how those duties and limitations will documented and enforced”; and (3) “seek nominations for at least one additional member of the Formation Committee to be from the Pacific Northwest.”
Previously on March 28, 2025, the Pathways Formation Board submitted formation board submitted a proposal.
Stakeholder Comments on Formation Board Proposal: Bonneville Power Administration
Pathways Formation Board Proposal
West Wide Governance Pathways Initiative (Opened 07/07/2023)
See also California SB40, authorizing CAISO to implement the necessary changes.
