Nevada and California Governors Support Creation of Energy Imbalance Market

Carson City, NV - June 05, 2014

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and California Governor Jerry Brown have filed a joint letter with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission supporting Nevada’s participation in a regional Energy Imbalance Market (EIM). 

If approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, the new market would allow Nevada’s power grid managers to share excess power when other balancing authorities need that valuable resource, and procure inexpensive power that would otherwise go unused, saving Nevada consumers an estimated $15-$29 million per year.

“An EIM is a market that balances electricity supply and demand to meet the needs of the grid in real-time,” said Paul Thomsen, GOE Director. “Nevada’s participation would expand the state-of-the-art real time market that has been successfully operating in California since 2009.”

This inter-state collaboration represents an important step forward in modernizing western grid operations, improving reliability, lowering costs, and enhancing the integration of renewable resources through better utilization of the most efficient and cleanest power plants.

If the application is approved, NV Energy would participate in the new market in 2015, along with the California Independent System Operator and PacifiCorp, which operates in Utah, Wyoming and four other Western states.

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About the Governor’s Office of Energy

The mission of the Governor's Office of Energy (GOE) is to ensure the wise development of Nevada's energy resources in harmony with local economic needs and to position Nevada to lead the nation in renewable energy production, energy efficiency, conservation, and the exportation of energy. GOE implements the laws of the State as defined in Nevada Revised Statutes 701 and 701A; manages energy-related programs; facilitates cooperation between key stakeholders; advises the Governor on energy policy; and collaborates with our local, regional, and federal partners to ensure a reliable and sustainable energy system. For more information about GOE, please visit www.energy.nv.gov.

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Kayla Meyer
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