Utility Industry
Independent System Operations (ISOs) and Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs)
- California ISO
- The California ISO is a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation charged with operating the majority of California's high-voltage wholesale power grid. Balancing the demand for electricity with an equal supply of megawatts, the ISO is the impartial link between power plants and the utilities that serve more than 30 million consumers. The ISO provides equal access to the grid for all qualified users and strategically plans for the transmission needs of this vital infrastructure.
- ColumbiaGrid
- ColumbiaGrid is a non-profit membership corporation formed to improve the operational efficiency, reliability, and planned expansion of the Northwest transmission grid.
- ERCOT (Texas)
- The Electric Reliability Council of Texas operates the electric grid and manages the deregulated market for 75 percent of the state.
- GridFlorida
- GridFlorida's mission is to form an efficient, effective and universal provider of electric transmission services for Peninsular Florida.
- ISO New England
- ISO New England helps protect the health of New England's economy and the well-being of its people, by ensuring the constant availability of electricity today and for future generations.
- Midwest ISO
- The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator is an essential link in the safe, cost-effective delivery of electric power across much of North America. The Midwest ISO is committed to reliability, the nondiscriminatory operation of the bulk power transmission system, and to working with all stakeholders to create cost-effective and innovative solutions for our changing industry.
- New York ISO
- The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) is a nonprofit organization formed as part of the restructuring of New York State's electric power industry. Its mission is to operate the state's bulk electricity grid and administer New York's wholesale electricity markets.
- PJM Interconnection (Mid-Atlantic)
- PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization, plays a vital role in the U.S. electric power system by ensuring the reliability of the electric power supply system in 13 states and the District of Columbia. PJM operates an efficient, effective wholesale electricity market, and manages a long-term regional electric transmission planning process to maintain the reliability of the power supply system.
- Southwest Power Pool
- SPP is a Regional Transmission Organization that ensures reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure, and competitive wholesale prices of electricity in eight Southwestern states.
- WestConnect
- WestConnect is composed of utility companies providing transmission of electricity in the southwestern United States, working collaboratively to assess stakeholder and market needs and develop cost-effective enhancements to the western wholesale electricity market.
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Individual Utilities
- The Utility Connection
- The Utility Connection provides links to 4,032 electric, gas, water and wastewater utilities, utility associations, organizations, news, magazines, utility financial resources, and related state and federal regulatory and information sites.
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Regional Reliability Councils of the North American Energy Reliability Council
- East Central Area Reliability Coordination Agreement (ECAR)
- Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT)
- The Electric Reliability Council of Texas operates the electric grid and manages the deregulated market for 75 percent of the state.
- Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC)
- The FRCC is a not-for-profit company incorporated in the State of Florida. The purpose of the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council is to ensure and enhance the reliability and adequacy of bulk electricity supply in Florida, now and into the future.
- Mid-Atlantic Area Council (MAAC)
- The Mid-Atlantic Area Council (MAAC) was formerly one of ten Regional Reliability Councils which form the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC). Together the Councils promote the reliability of the electric supply for North America by helping participants from all sectors of the electric utility industry work together. The former MAAC was responsible for the mid-Atlantic region, including all or parts of the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The purpose of MAAC was to ensure the adequacy, reliability and security of the bulk electric supply systems of the Region through coordinated operations and planning of their generation and transmission facilities.
- Mid-America Interconnected Network, Inc. (MAIN)
- On November 24, 1964 the formation of MAIN was announced by American Electric Power, Commonwealth Edison, the Illinois-Missouri Pool, the Indiana Power Pool and the Wisconsin Planning Group. Originally known as Mid-America Interpool Network it later became Mid-America Interconnected Network, Inc. and was the first regional electric reliability council. When the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) was later formed MAIN became one of the ten electric reliability councils which comprised NERC. MAIN served the electric utilities in the Midwest for over 41 years.
- Mid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP)
- The Mid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP) is an association of electric utilities and other electric industry participants. The MAPP organizationÕs has two primary functions: a regional transmission group, responsible for facilitating open access of the transmission system and a generation reserve sharing pool which provides efficient and available generation to meet regional demand.
- Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO)
- Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the reliability and security of the bulk power system in the north central region of North America, including parts of both the United States and Canada. MRO is one of eight regional entities in North America operating under authority from regulators in the United States and Canada through a delegation agreement with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The primary focus of MRO is developing and ensuring compliance with regional and international standards and performing assessments of the grid's ability to meet the demands for electricity.
- Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC)
- It is the NPCC mission to promote and enhance the reliable and efficient operation of the international, interconnected bulk power system in Northeastern North America.
- Southeastern Electric Reliability Council (SERC)
- The SERC Reliability Corporation (SERC) is a nonprofit corporation responsible for promoting and improving the reliability, adequacy, and critical infrastructure of the bulk power supply systems in all or portions of 16 central and southeastern states.
- Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP)
- SPP is a Regional Transmission Organization, mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure, and competitive wholesale prices of electricity.
- Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC)
- The WECC is a Utah-based nonprofit corporation whose mission is to maintain a reliable electric power system in the Western Interconnection that supports efficient competitive power markets, and to assure open and non-discriminatory transmission by providing a forum for resolving transmission access disputes between Members. Membership is open to any entity engaged or interested in electric system reliability or access, including consumers, regulatory agencies, public interest groups, transmission providers and transmission users, generators, power marketers, and siting agencies.
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U.S. Dept. of Energy Power Marketing Administrations
- Bonneville Power Administration
- The Bonneville Power Administration, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Energy. BPA serves the Pacific Northwest through operating an extensive electricity transmission system and marketing wholesale electrical power at cost from federal dams, one non-federal nuclear plant and other nonfederal hydroelectric and wind energy generation facilities.
- Southeastern Power Administration
- Southeastern, headquartered in Elberton, Georgia, is responsible for marketing electric power and energy generated at reservoirs operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This power is marketed to more than 495 preference customers in the states of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, southern Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
- Southwestern Power Administration
- As one of four Power Marketing Administrations in the United States, Southwestern markets hydroelectric power in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas from 24 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers multipurpose dams.
- Western Area Power Administration
- Western Area Power Administration markets and delivers reliable, cost-based hydroelectric power and related services within a 15-state region of the central and western U.S. We're one of four power marketing administrations within the U.S. Department of Energy whose role is to market and transmit electricity from multi-use water projects.
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U.S. Power Grids
- Department of Energy Information about U.S. Power Grids
- It is important to note that there is no "national power grid" in the United States. In fact, the continental United States is divided into three main power grids.
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Utility Organizations
- Central Research Institute of the Japanese Utilities
- Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), a non-profit organization, was established in November 1951 as an integrated research organization to support the electric power industry of Japan. Since then CRIEPI has been actively conducting research in a broad range of technical fields, contributing to the development of electric power industry and social welfare. Also in Japanese, if your browser can support it.
- Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
- EPRI's Customer Services Group (CSG) manages a diverse research and development portfolio to provide end-use markets with new products such as advanced electric heat pumps, industrial process technologies, commercial building technologies, power quality equipment, and software tools for utility market planning.
- Elforsk: Swedish Energy Industry Research and Development Corp.
- The Swedish electrical utilities joint company for research and development concerning the generation,transmission, distribution and utilization of electricity. Click on the English flag to download an English version PDF of brief summaries of their various program areas and activities.
- Gas Technology Institute (GTI)
- GTI is the leading research, development and training organization serving the natural gas industry. For the past 60 years, GTI has been meeting the nation's energy and environmental challenges by developing technology-based solutions for consumers, industry, and government.
- Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU)
- Organized in 1947, IAMU today represents nearly 550 cities. Our members operate 137 electric utilities, 47 gas utilities and 14 cable television systems—all operate municipal water utilities. IAMU works to protect the right of citizens to keep control of these vital utility services close to home. We also promote a better understanding of how the benefits of municipal utilities extend beyond the communities in which they operate. Locally-owned and operated municipal utilities continue a long tradition of reliable, low-cost service.
- North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC)
- NERC's mission is to ensure that the bulk electric system in North America is reliable, adequate and secure. Since its formation in 1968, NERC has operated successfully as a voluntary organization, relying on reciprocity, peer pressure and the mutual self-interest of all those involved. Through this voluntary approach, NERC has helped to make the North American bulk electric system the most reliable system in the world.
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Utility Restructuring
- Edison Electric Institute's Electricity Policy
- Learn more about federal energy regulations, state and local energy policies, and state restructuring and regulatory policies at this website. The information offered here includes maps showing the status of electricity competition in the states, problems and lessons learned for other states, from the California electricity crisis, etc.
- EnergyOnline
- The Energy Online website is presented by LCG Consulting, based in Los Altos, California. They are a widely recognized leader in electricity industry restructuring studies and a pioneer in modeling energy markets. Energy Online is a rich source of current information on worldwide electric utility restructuring.
- National Council on Electricity Policy
- Established in the 1994, the National Council on Electricity Policy is a joint venture among the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), and the National Governor's Association (NGA). The National Council was formed to assist policy-makers with the challenges posed by the dramatic changes brought about by the reexamination of the traditional franchise electric system. The National Council was initially created through funding by Department of Energy's (DOE), which continues to be the primary source of funding for the National Council.
- The Power Marketing Association's online POWER REPORT
- PMA is an association of companies supporting an open and competitive future for the U.S. electric power industry. PMA's OnLine POWER REPORT is continuously updated on line and offers a free subscription to their Daily Power Report news service. This website offers only a "small selection" of their articles and reports, divided into categories of Utility Publications, National News, Power Press Releases and International News and Power Reports. Check out their Energy Library link for convenient access to their entire spectrum of energy industry products, services, and information.
- Public Utility Research Center (PURC)
- PURC, at the University of Florida Warrington College of Business, provides international training and strategic research in public utility regulation, market rules, and infrastructure management in the energy, telecommunications, and water industries.
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