Strengthening Regional Governance: insights from the 2025 Regional Issues Forum enhancement discussion paper and stakeholder dialogue

In 2015, as part of a broad regional effort to design and implement a governance model for the California Independent System Operator’s (ISO) Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM), a transitional committee of Western stakeholders established the Regional Issues Forum (RIF) to foster cross-sector communication on regional market issues. Over the past decade, the RIF has evolved into a vital part of market governance. Its expanded role now includes advising the ISO on prioritization of ISO policy initiatives through an annual roundtable process, facilitating discussions on ISO stakeholder processes and initiatives, and providing input to both the Western Energy Markets (WEM) Governing Body and ISO Board of Governors to help shape market policy and design for the WEIM and Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM). This blog highlights the RIF’s continued work to support further stakeholder engagement, elevate sector perspectives, and to prepare for alignment with proposed governance reforms.

Looking Ahead

This year, in collaboration with West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative efforts, the RIF has begun to explore opportunities to support inclusive and structured stakeholder engagement. In April 2025, the RIF released its RIF Enhancement Project discussion paper. The RIF has always served as a dedicated space for stakeholders from across the Western Interconnection to engage on key topics shaping the WEIM and EDAM. The discussion paper suggests ways the RIF can further enhance stakeholder engagement under the current governance model and prepare to facilitate a smooth transition to a proposed, but not yet established, Pathways Stakeholder Representatives Committee. You can read more about the current WEM governance model in the July 1, 2025 Energy Matters blog, CAISO governance continues to evolve with EDAM’s broadening reach, by Stacey Crowley, the ISO’s vice president of External Affairs.

Proposed Enhancements

At the RIF’s June 17 in-person meeting in Reno, NV, RIF sector liaisons presented the latest progress in this ongoing effort to give the RIF a more coordinated and influential voice in governance discussions. Notable proposed enhancements include:

• deeper RIF involvement in the ISO’s Policy Initiatives Catalog and Roadmap process;
• a greater role in identifying and developing stakeholder-driven policy proposals;
• the reintroduction of indicative voting — a non-binding advisory voting process — to better reflect stakeholder positions;
• proposed changes to stakeholder sector definitions and responsibilities; and
• a proposed new “sector sponsor” role allowing stakeholders to lead or support specific initiatives, working with ISO staff to guide working groups on key policy or technical issues.

Next Steps

Overall, the proposed RIF enhancements reflect an evolving governance framework, informed by stakeholders from across the West and supported by the WEM Governing Body and ISO Board of Governors. The proposed enhancements aim to give stakeholders a more effective voice in shaping the future of ISO energy markets.  As the ISO and WEM Governing Body look ahead to EDAM implementation and beyond, the RIF is positioning itself as a focused, responsive, and impactful forum to support a robust regional energy dialogue.

Moving forward, the RIF sector liaisons encourage input as they work to refine their proposal and prepare to publish an update in the third quarter of 2025. See the full list of RIF sector liaisons and your sector representative to provide your feedback.