So, you turn on a light switch at home – and a power plant hundreds of miles away increases its production rate just a miniscule amount.  How does it know that it needed to do that?  And what happens when a few million people in California come home from work at about the same time, and do the same thing?  And what happens if, during that same hour, a large cloud passes over a solar field in the California desert?  And what happens if, at that same moment, a power plant in San Francisco has a hiccup and shuts itself down?  If you've ever stayed awake all night worrying about things like that, this tour is for you.

We're pleased that we've been able to arrange a tour of the Northern California control center operated by the California Independent System Operator (ISO; www.caiso.com).  The ISO is a non-profit, public benefit corporation created by state law; it opened its Northern and Southern California control centers in 1998.  Based in Folsom, the ISO operates California's wholesale power system to ensure the reliable delivery of electricity throughout the state, covering 80% of the state's power grid.