The California Independent System Operator's (CAISO) board of governors has approved the participating transmission owner application for Valley Electric Association Inc. (VEA), a rural electric cooperative based in Pahrump, Nev.
VEA, with service area in both Nevada and California, says it is the first member-owned co-op to join CAISO. The co-op's service territory covers 6,849 square miles in Nye, Clark, Esmeralda and Mineral counties in Nevada, and parts of Mono and Inyo counties in California.
“We are pleased with the vote by the board of governors and continue to look forward to becoming a participating transmission owner as of January [2013],” says Thomas H. Husted, CEO of VEA. “The benefits to the ratepayers of Nevada and California are numerous. This is a key step toward expanding regionalization of the Western transmission grid.”
Upon execution of a transmission control agreement, VEA says it will become a participating transmission owner, subject to approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
