The California ISO Department of Market Monitoring posted its 2020 Annual Market Issues and Performance Report. A stakeholder web conference is scheduled on Aug. 12, 2021, to discuss the analysis and findings of the report.

The 2020 Annual Report provides highlights of significant market changes and performance. The report finds that the ISO and energy imbalance markets continued to perform efficiently and competitively. In the ISO, total wholesale electric costs increased to $8.9 billion or about $42/MWh, driven by lower hydroelectric output and high prices during evening peak ramping periods related to warm temperatures increasing peak demand in the ISO and in the West.

On August 14 and 15, 2020, the ISO grid operators called upon load serving entities to curtail load for several hours for the first time since 2001. From mid-August to Sept. 7, 2020, regional high temperatures led to a high demand across the entire western region. Following the load curtailment event in August, the ISO revised the market algorithm to give the residual unit commitment process the ability to curtail exports.

Expansion of the Western Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) helped improve the overall structure and performance of the real-time market in the ISO and other participating balancing areas. In April 2020, two new market participants, Seattle City Light and the Salt River Project, joined the energy imbalance market.

The ISO load continued to decrease in 2020, due in part to increases in behind-the-meter solar generation, continued initiatives to improve energy efficiency, and the public health order that directed Californians to stay at home in response to COVID-19. This effect was offset during peak hours, however, when higher than average temperatures caused large increases in demand. Summer load in the ISO system peaked at 47,121 MW, exceeding peaks in 2018 and 2019, and was about 3 percent higher than the ISO’s 1-in-2 year load forecast.

Information related to market monitoring is available on the Market Monitoring webpage.

Meeting Details

Date: August 12, 2021

Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Pacific Time

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Participation Information

Step 1: call 1-888-251-2949, access code: 3539424#

Step 2: join web conference

Technical support: call the AT&T Help Desk at 1-888-796-6118