# Presentation: 199288

## RTO West Formation Process

- Vancouver, B.C.
- December 4, 2002

## RTO West Formation

- RTO West followed FERC Order 2000 directive regarding collaborative process.
- We expect parties in each region will work together to identify the appropriate RTO regions...and develop a timely application in accordance with the Final Rule.
- We encourage Canadian and Mexican entities to participate in continued RTO consultations and, if appropriate, formation and filings for cross-border RTOs.
- RTO West has benefited from active and strong Canadian participation in RTO West processes from the outset.

## RTO West Formation

- RTO West formed in Fall of 1999 by Northwest transmission owners – Includes Avista, BPA, Puget Sound Energy, Portland General Electric, Nevada Power, Sierra Pacific Power Company, Idaho Power Company, Pacificorp, Northwestern Energy, and British Columbia Power Authority.  Known as the filing utilities
- Filing utilities determined that extensive public involvement was a key principle in developing the RTO West filings.  Particularly true in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
- Created an extensive public process to encourage feedback and advice on all major issues in the filing documents.

## Regional Representatives Group

- RTO West formed the Regional Representatives Group (RRG).
- RRG consists of public power participants (public generators, rural co-ops, transmission dependent utilities/BPA customers),  marketers, the environmental community, Tribes, states, Canadian representatives, and the filing utilities.  Representatives are self-selected.
- RRG is the principal region-wide mechanism for getting feedback on RTO West proposals.  While self-selected representatives sit at the table, RRG meetings are open to everyone.
- Need in the future for the RRG to be more collaborative than it has been in the recent past where focus has been on getting filings submitted to FERC in a timely manner.

## Technical Work Groups

- RTO West formed technical work groups open to all interested parties to participate in developing the filing documents.  Used extensively for the Stage 1 filing.
- The Market Design and Tariff Work Groups have been meeting to follow through on the directions from FERC in its Stage 2 Order to RTO West.
- The extensive technical work is now going through some review and evaluation and resolution of some of the outstanding crucial open questions.

## Stakeholder Collaborative Process

- Stakeholder groups formed by self-selection to participate in developing work products of the designated work groups.
- Each work group has stated objective.  Filing utilities develop straw proposals for work groups to consider.  Stakeholders and filing utilities discuss issues and seek consensus on approaches and solutions.
- If consensus is not reached within work groups, filing utilities determine whether to (1) prepare a straw proposal, (2) refer particular issues to RRG (for review and input) and then to filing utilities, or (3) take other action to move forward.
- Filing utilities responsible for final drafting of documents. Send out drafts for final stakeholder review and comment before filing.

## Seams Resolution Processes

- The three western RTO development efforts (RTO West, California Independent System Operator, and WestConnect) have formed the Seams Steering Group – Western Interconnection (SSG-WI).  The activities of the SSG-WI and its work groups are set out on its website – _[www.ssg-wi.com](http://www.ssg-wi.com/)__.  Three representatives and an alternate from each RTO effort serve on SSG-WI._
- Five work groups are open to all interested parties.  They include congestion management, price reciprocity, planning, market monitoring, and common systems interface coordination.  Their schedules and work plans are on website. Currently developing an issues list for submission to FERC in early January.
- FERC is placing reliance on SSG-WI to develop approaches for enhancing an open western market.

## Collaboration Opportunities

- RTO West information can be found at the RTO West website – _[www.rtowest.com](http://www.rtowest.com/)__.  This includes a vast amount of information about RTO West from the outset to the present._
- You can sign up for the RRG list server and receive all e-mails that are sent to the RRG.  To subscribe to the exploder send an e-mail to: _[Listserv@list.rtowest.com](mailto:Listserv@list.rtowest.com)__.  In the body of the e-mail type “subscribe RRGA-L John Doe” (Don’t put the quotes in when you type it in.)  Do not put any other words in the body, i.e., no signature blocks, confidentiality blocks, etc._
- For direct contacts with RTO West, you can call Chris Elliott or Judy Welch at (503) 262-9421 or Sarah Dennison-Leonard at (503) 219-9649 or Bud Krogh at (206) 464-1872.  The names of all representatives on the RRG are on the RTO West website.