Grid modernization

Because electric service is essential for homes, businesses and communities, we go to great lengths to keep our grid safe and reliable for customers. We're developing innovative solutions and leveraging technology to make our grid more efficient, resilient and secure.

Energy Imbalance Market

PacifiCorp and the California Independent System Operator launched the Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) in November 2014. The EIM uses a sophisticated system to automatically balance demand every five minutes with the lowest cost energy available across the combined grid.

By connecting utilities and leveraging diverse renewable resources across the West, the EIM is dramatically lowering greenhouse gas emissions and helping to unlock the full potential of a low-cost, reliable and resilient energy system.

Reduced emissions

Together with our diverse energy investments, the EIM has helped us cut our portfolio carbon emissions by 35 million metric tons.

Customer savings

The EIM reached a new historic milestone, reporting $4.2 billion in cumulative benefits for entities participating in the rapidly growing real-time energy market. 

Active and pending participants

See how we're powering the West with clean, reliable and affordable energy

Smart grid technology

To give customers more insight into their energy use and for faster outage response, we’re piloting the use of smart grid technology. 

In many areas, we’re installing smart meters for a smart grid. Using two-way communication, the smart grid can automatically reroute the flow of energy when an outage occurs. The result: outages that are less common and less extensive.

The smart grid also increases the overall efficiency of the energy system and improves our ability to integrate clean, renewable energy sources.

With convenient online and mobile tools, customers can view their energy use and take steps to save energy and money.