ISO/RTO Leaders Provide Metrics Details to FERC

WASHINGTON, DC (01/20/2011)(readMedia)-- The CEOs of the six independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs) regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today appeared before the Commission to discuss the 2010 ISO/RTO Metrics Report filed in December. The metrics report provided FERC with extensive data on grid operations and power markets in their regions.

The ISO New England, Inc. (ISO-NE), Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (Midwest ISO), New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM), Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP) and California Independent System Operator Corporation (California ISO) compiled the December report as part of FERC's efforts to develop standardized measures to track the performance of grid operations and power markets in ISO/RTOs and other regions of the nation.

Prepared at FERC's request, the report includes more than 50 separate metrics providing information on electric system reliability, wholesale electricity market benefits and the organizational effectiveness of the six ISOs/RTOs under FERC jurisdiction.

"On behalf of the other CEOs, I would like to thank Chairman Wellinghoff and the commissioners for the opportunity to highlight the benefits of ISOs and RTOs as demonstrated in the metrics report," said Stephen G. Whitley, president and CEO of the NYISO.

"The information provided in the report shows us to be reliable operators of the grid, illustrates the efficiency of competitive wholesale markets, demonstrates our ability to advance public policy objectives and displays the ways we are enabling the growth of renewables and demand-side resources," Whitley said.

As noted in the initial filing, the data in the report should be viewed in context, given significant differences in the geographic territories served by the ISOs/RTOs, the regional reliability requirements developed for each system, the unique components of market designs, the composition of available power resources and other variables.

The report is intended to complement other mechanisms in place to measure ISO/RTO performance, including other detailed information annually submitted to FERC, the respective State of the Market reports for each ISO/RTO, FERC's annual State of the Market Report and reporting measures developed by the individual ISO/RTOs.

A copy of the 2010 ISO/RTO Metrics Report, as well as each of the presentations made by the CEOs, are available for download from the ISO/RTO Council website, www.iso-rto.org.

For more information on the report, please contact:

Thomas J. Rumsey

Vice President, External Affairs, New York Independent System Operator

518-356-8534

For more information regarding an individual ISO or RTO, please contact:

• ISO New England: Ellen Foley – 413-535-4139

• Midwest ISO: Midwest ISO Media Line – 317-432-4507

• New York ISO: David Flanagan – 518-356-7325

• PJM Interconnection: PJM Corporate Communications – 866-PJM-NEWS (866-756-6397) toll-free or at 610-666-2200.

• Southwest Power Pool: Emily Pennel – 501-614-3337

About ISO New England

Created in 1997, ISO New England is the independent, not-for-profit corporation responsible for the reliable operation of New England's electric power generation and transmission system, overseeing and ensuring the fair administration of the region's wholesale electricity markets, and managing comprehensive regional electric power planning. For more information, visit www.iso-ne.com.

About the Midwest ISO

The Midwest ISO ensures reliable operation of, and equal access to high-voltage power lines in 13 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Manitoba. The Midwest ISO manages one of the world's largest energy markets, clearing nearly $23 billion in energy transactions annually. The Midwest ISO was approved as the nation's first regional transmission organization (RTO) in 2001. The non-profit 501(C)(4) organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors, and is headquartered in Carmel, Ind., with operations centers in Carmel and St. Paul, Minn. Membership in the organization is voluntary. For more information, visit www.midwestmarket.org.

About the New York ISO

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) is a not-for-profit corporation responsible for operating the state's bulk electricity grid, administering New York's competitive wholesale electricity markets, conducting comprehensive long-term planning for the state's electric power system and advancing the technological infrastructure of the electric system serving the Empire State. For more information, visit www.nyiso.com.

About PJM Interconnection

PJM Interconnection, founded in 1927, ensures the reliability of the high-voltage electric power system serving 51 million people in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. PJM coordinates and directs the operation of the region's transmission grid, which includes 6,038 substations and 56,500 miles of transmission lines; administers a competitive wholesale electricity market; and plans regional transmission expansion improvements to maintain grid reliability and relieve congestion. Visit PJM at www.pjm.com.

About the Southwest Power Pool

Southwest Power Pool, Inc. is a non-profit organization that serves 61 members in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Membership is comprised of investor-owned utilities, municipal systems, generation and transmission cooperatives, state authorities, wholesale generators, power marketers, and independent transmission companies that serve more than fifteen million customers. SPP was a founding member of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation in 1968, and was designated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) in 2004 and a Regional Entity (RE) in 2007. As an RTO, SPP ensures reliable power supply, creates transmission expansion plans, and operates a wholesale energy market. The SPP RE oversees enforcement and development of electric reliability standards. Read more fast facts or watch a video about SPP at www.spp.org.