Cal-ISO Voting Against Replacing Board

At the urging of Governor Davis today, California’s Independent System Operator (ISO) is voting to ignore the nation’s top energy regulator’s order to replace their current board.

On July 17th, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order to direct the ISO to amend its bylaws and adopt a two-tier form of governance by January first. Davis told the ISO that FERC is attempting a power grab.

FERC’s order points to last summer’s energy crisis and states that the current operation of the California transmission grid serves only to prolong the conditions that led to the crisis.

Davis says that the original California ISO board was dominated by generators who were unwilling to serve the interests of consumers and that under that board, the energy crisis began. In January 2001, Davis amended the law and appointed his own five-member board.