​Privacy Notice

Created on: 06/03/2003
Last Updated on: 04/24/2015
 

Introduction

This Website is operated and maintained by the California Independent System Operator Corporation (referred to as the "California ISO" herein). All materials and information contained on this Website are made available subject to the Terms of Use, which must be agreed to by users as a condition to the use of this Website.
The California ISO maintains a secured section on this Website to distribute and make available certain material and information that requires access control restrictions. Validated users who demonstrate a verifiable need-to-know will be granted access privileges to such secured section in accordance with the California ISO security procedures. Such security procedures require that potential users provide the California ISO with some personal information for access review, security background check, and secured section use purposes. Safeguarding the privacy of individuals seeking access to and visiting the secured section of this Website is of the utmost importance to the California ISO. 

Information Collected and Stored

This Website and the California ISO mobile application (the “App”) use "cookies" and “anonymous identifiers” to help personalize your online experience and to collect usage statistics. Cookies store your site usage, preferences and user information, which will facilitate the future implementation of personalization and provides us valuable information for site and application improvements. Anonymous identifiers are random strings of characters that are used for the same purposes as a cookie on platforms, including certain mobile devices, where cookie technology is not available.
If you prefer not to receive cookies while browsing the Website, you can set your browser to warn you before accepting cookies and refuse the cookie when your browser alerts you to its presence. You can also refuse all cookies by turning them off in your browser, although you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website if you do so. Except as described in this statement, we will not disclose your personal information unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so.
The California ISO also may permit third party analytics providers, such as Google Analytics, to use cookies and anonymous identifiers to collect and process certain non-personally identifiable information that helps us understand your usage of the Website and App. For example, Google Analytics may collect and process information such as how often users visit the Website or App, what pages they visit when they do so, and what other websites or mobile applications they used prior to coming to the Website or App. For information on how Google Analytics uses and processes data, you should review “How Google uses data when you use our partners’ websites or apps” located at www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.
If you require access to the secured section of this application, you must complete the Application Access Request Form indicating, among other things, the reason for your need. If you meet the access requirements, you will be granted access privileges. You must agree to comply with the terms set forth in the Terms of Use.
The information collected on the Access Request Form includes:

The Requestor's:
  • Company Name
  • Name and Title
  • Address
  • Email
  • Telephone Number

The Requestor Supervisor’s:
  • Name and Title
  • Address
  • Email
  • Telephone Number.

Additional Information:
  • Employment Verification Contact Name and Telephone Number (individual or HR Department)
  • Job Function (requestor's job function, e.g., Grid Planner, Transmission Planner, etc.)
  • Need-to-Know Reason (Detailed explanation of why you need access to restricted information.)

This information is primarily collected to allow the California ISO to assess your need to access the secured section and to determine whether or not to grant you access privileges. The California ISO will store the collected information on a secured system with access control restrictions to protect its privacy. The California ISO will take additional steps, such as a background check, to validate and verify your identity based on the collected information. The California ISO will not divulge or share this information with any other individual or entity unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. 

Security, Intrusion, and Detection

For site security purposes, and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, all network traffic is monitored in order to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage or conduct criminal activity. To protect the system from unauthorized use and to ensure that the system is functioning properly, individuals accessing the secured section are subject to having all of their activities monitored and recorded by personnel authorized to do so by the Information Security Service Department of the California ISO (and such monitoring and recording will be conducted). Anyone accessing the secured section expressly consents to such monitoring and is advised that if such monitoring reveals evidence of possible abuse or criminal activity, system personnel may provide the results of such monitoring to appropriate law enforcement agencies. Unauthorized attempts to upload or change information on, or otherwise cause damage to, the secured section are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under applicable federal and state laws and regulations. 
The California ISO does not collect information through its Website regarding consumers. There may be limited instances where the California ISO collects personal information about a California resident, such as through our Job Site. In those instances, the California ISO has implemented and will continue to maintain reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the information. These security procedures and practices are designed to protect the personal information from unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification and disclosure.