Balancing Authorities

June 3, 2013

A short description of BANC, the Balancing Authority of Northern California, the third largest balancing authority in California, provides a snapshot of the complexity of electrical load management.

Don Tuite

Balancing authorities can get complicated. Take the Balancing Authority of Northern California (BANC), the third largest balancing authority in California, as an example. Its charter calls it a joint powers authority (JPA).

BANC assumed control of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) in 2011. It now embraces SMUD, the Modesto Irrigation District (MID), Roseville Electric, and Redding Electric. It makes decisions concerning the use of about 40% of the Central Valley Project (CVP) hydro facilities, which are owned by the California Bureau of Reclamation.

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In addition to generating capacity, BANC contracts for transmission facilities owned by the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and the high-voltage (500 kV) California-Oregon Transmission Project (COTP), which is jointly owned by several more parties including WAPA and some BANC members via the Transmission Agency of Northern California.

BANC cooperates with other balancing authorities, including the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). Standards developed and enforced by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) govern these relationships.

About the Author

Don Tuite

Don Tuite writes about Analog and Power issues for Electronic Design’s magazine and website. He has a BSEE and an M.S in Technical Communication, and has worked for companies in aerospace, broadcasting, test equipment, semiconductors, publishing, and media relations, focusing on developing insights that link technology, business, and communications. Don is also a ham radio operator (NR7X), private pilot, and motorcycle rider, and he’s not half bad on the 5-string banjo.