Behind the scenes. Photo credit: California ISO
A group of IBEW 1245 business reps had the unique chance on March 14 to tour the California Independent System Operator (ISO) building and control room in Folsom.
The ISO operates the power grid for 80% of California and serves 30 million people, making it one of the largest grids in the world. It’s also largely considered to be one of the most modern, effectively interconnecting solar, wind and other renewable energy sources with the conventional electric grid.
The ISO’s facility is heavily secured and generally closed to the public, but the ISO’s top executives personally led the 1245 delegation on the tour. Unfortunately, photos of the control room weren’t allowed, but videos are available from the ISO at www.caiso.com/about/Pages/News/default.aspx).
Visiting the ISO were IBEW representatives, from left, Mike Cottrell, Carl Lamers, Ron Cochran, Liz McInnis, Abel Sanchez, Junior Ornelas, Ralph Armstrong, Richard Ingle.
The ISO executives explained in great detail how the ISO is working to meet California’s clean energy goals by 2020, and has more than quadrupled solar-generated power since the summer of 2012. The ISO is also working to ramp up power generation in order to keep up with increased net load, and they are in the process of fortifying several power facilities in southern California to mitigate the occasional reliability problems caused by the San Onofre closure.
Learn more at www.caiso.com.