Energy Central CAISO CEO: It takes a village to run the grid
Oct 10, 2025
Elliot Mainzer, CEO of CAISO, brings extensive expertise in grid operations to the discussion. He likens managing today's energy grid to 'flying the plane while building it'. Elliot highlights the vital collaboration between ISOs and states for reliability and the economic benefits of the Western Energy Imbalance Market. He emphasizes the need for data centers to be 'good grid citizens' by offering flexibility and dispatchability. The conversation also covers the future of nuclear energy and reforms to streamline resource integration, ensuring a resilient energy future.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Flying The Plane While Rebuilding It
- Running an ISO is like "flying the plane while rebuilding it" because reliability must be maintained amid simultaneous system changes.
- Elliot Mainzer stresses balancing reliability, affordability, and evolving transmission, markets, and weather risks.
Batteries Changed The Game
- California added 26,000 MW of clean resources in five years including 13,000 MW of batteries, improving evening reliability.
- Mainzer views batteries as transformative for absorbing midday energy and supplying sunset demand.
Grid Reliability Is A Collective Job
- "It takes a village to run a grid"—ISOs, states, and load-serving entities must collaborate on planning and resource adequacy.
- CAISO emphasizes partnership with regulators, utilities, CCAs, and Western neighbors for resilience.