NYISO Marks 10-Year Anniversary

On December 1, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) – created in 1999 to independently operate New York’s bulk electricity grid and administer the state’s wholesale electricity market – marked its 10th anniversary.  In its announcement of the milestone, NYISO highlighted its work in helping New York State become a national leader in the integration of renewable power resources, development of advanced energy technologies and improvements in the efficiency of the power system.

The NYISO is one of 10 independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs) in North America.  Together, they serve two-thirds of electricity consumers in the United States and more than half of Canada’s population.

“We take great pride in how well we have accomplished our key responsibilities on behalf of all New Yorkers over the last 10 years,” said Stephen G. Whitley, NYISO president and CEO in a press release. “We have met New York’s power needs reliably and safely by managing its bulk electricity system, running fair, open, and competitive wholesale electricity markets, helping the state plan for its future power needs and supporting the installation of technology to create tomorrow’s smarter grid.”

In conjunction with the anniversary, NYISO produced a 10-year anniversary report, Lighting the Way, that outlines the company’s success over the past decade and identifies its strategic objectives moving forward, including:
•    The deployment of Smart Grid technologies and protocols to help consumers make more informed decisions about their energy use
•    The development of broader regional market cooperation to extend and expand the benefits of competition
•    The enhancement of interregional planning to provide a wider horizon for improvements in reliability
•    The continued cultivation of “green power” resources