New energy trading market starts up in Montana, 14 other states

A new energy trading market that will change the way power is delivered from power plants to customers has started serving Montana and 14 other states.

The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator launched a wholesale energy market this past week that uses the real-time price of electricity to determine which power plants will be on at any given time.

The system covers a 1 million square-mile region that stretches from Montana to Pennsylvania, and includes the Canadian province of Manitoba.

Robert Garvin, a member of the state Public Service Commission who has led a regional oversight group on the issue, told legislative leaders he was "cautiously optimistic that MISO will be able to maintain system reliability across this region," although the true test will come in the summer as demand soars on hot days.

Full Story: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/04/03/build/business/33-energymarket.inc