Bringing Energy Freedom to the West

Our mission is to enable the delivery of low-cost electricity and energy freedom to the West through an efficient and integrated grid system.

The opportunity to expand western energy markets presents both technical and political challenges, amplified by the diversity of policies, resources, and stakeholders across the region. Western Freedom prides itself on identifying gaps and building diverse coalitions capable of  developing creative solutions that draw on the broad experience and expertise of stakeholders and build durable momentum. 

Historically, the West has taken an incremental approach to regional market development, starting with real-time markets, a standalone resource adequacy program, and the recent development of day-ahead markets. This has built trust and collaboration amongst western stakeholders and has delivered significant benefits for customers. Western Freedom has leveraged this approach by promoting the benefits of real-time markets to encourage participation in day-ahead markets with a path to future market expansion. Through our participation in the Pathways Initiative, we are capitalizing on these realized benefits to create a market with an independent governance structure that is built by the West, for the West. 

We support efforts that:

• Encourage and protect participation of transmission service owners;
• Encourage and support the participation in and development of real-time and day-ahead markets;
• Develop institutions that address regional resource adequacy and transmission planning;
• Include market structures that address market barriers to low-cost, clean energy resources; and
• Ensure that benefits are created for all customers in all states participating in the organized market.

With more efficient and transparent grid and market operations, customers across the West will reap reliability and affordability benefits while meeting their organization’s clean energy goals. 

• Lower electricity prices: Electricity markets are designed to automatically dispatch the lowest-cost electricity available. 
• Stronger, more reliable grid: Expanded electricity markets across the largest possible footprint increase access to a diverse set of resources. This will enable market operators to more efficiently balance supply and demand on the grid across the West – creating a more reliable system, particularly in periods of extreme weather and increased demand. 
• Cleaner power: A West-wide approach to balancing our grid makes it easier to integrate the variable output of renewable resources like wind and solar and leverage the abundant energy resources of the West. 
• Economic Development: Lower electricity prices and reliable energy are a significant draw for companies looking to locate and build in the West.  

In today’s more integrated and complex world, utilities and customers need to work together to create a more integrated system to serve the region to keep prices affordable and our power reliable.