Recap: EDAM Virtual Town Hall held February 4, 2026
The California ISO hosted its first Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM) Virtual Town Hall to provide updates on the market’s progress ahead of its May 1 launch. The event brought together stakeholders from regulatory, policymaking, customer, and advocacy communities to hear from ISO executives on governance, stakeholder engagement, transmission connectivity, and the critical topic of market seams.
Key highlights included:
- Governance Evolution: Updates on the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative and the incorporation of the Regional Organization for Western Energy (ROWE), which will oversee EDAM and WEIM under independent governance.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Enhanced processes to ensure deeper collaboration and transparency, including the introduction of working groups and a new Stakeholder Process Guide.
- Transmission Connectivity: Insights into the infrastructure supporting EDAM, including major projects like SWIP-North and TransWest Express, which enhance reliability and economic benefits across the West.
Significantly, the event touched on the issue of market seams, the interfaces between adjacent wholesale electric systems. CAISO leadership set out principles for addressing seams, including maintaining reliability, respecting jurisdictional independence, ensuring mutual benefits, and the ongoing challenges associated with managing additional seams. Lessons from Eastern markets were discussed, highlighting the need for tailored solutions that reflect the unique autonomy of Western balancing authorities.
The event underscored CAISO’s commitment to collaboration, adaptability, and delivering value to Western electricity customers through EDAM’s launch and beyond.
