A new regional organization that California leaders hope will eventually oversee a West-wide electricity market is taking its first steps toward implementing that vision.
What happened: The launch committee of the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative sent a letter Tuesday to California’s electricity grid manager requesting a funding mechanism for the new Regional Organization for Western Energy so that it can start making hires.
Why it matters: The letter indicates that California is moving forward toward its goal of joining an independently governed regional electricity market, which was a signature goal of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s energy affordability package last year and was enabled by the passage of AB 825.
Context: The California Independent System Operator, which manages the flow of electricity on California’s high-voltage, long-distance power lines, has been pushing for years to establish a regional energy market that would vastly expand electricity trading between the Western states.
