ISO-New England

Various authorities and functions of Independent System Operator New England (ISO-NE)

Independent System Operator New England (ISO-NE) is the independent, not-for-profit company authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to perform three critical, complex, interconnected roles for the region spanning Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and most of Maine. Together, these three responsibilities help protect the health of the region’s economy and the well-being of its people by ensuring the constant availability of competitively-priced wholesale electricity.

  • Grid operation: Coordinate and direct the flow of electricity over the region's high-voltage transmission system.
  • Market administration: Design, run, and oversee the wholesale, interstate electricity markets that attract a large and diverse mix of participants to buy and sell wholesale electricity at the most competitive prices.
  • Power system planning: Study, analyze, and plan to make sure New England’s electricity needs are met by considering the evolution of the system.

In 1997, ISO New England (ISO) was created to operate regional power system, implement wholesale markets, and to ensure open access to transmission lines. ISO-NE manages the New England region's electric bulk power system (the generation and transmission of electricity on the wholesale and interstate level), and administers the region's wholesale electricity markets, ensuring the system’s day-to-day reliable operation and fair administration of the markets. ISO-NE also administers a comprehensive regional planning process, issuing a Regional System Plan each year.

Under the federal oversight of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for wholesale sales of electricity in interstate commerce, ISO-NE serves as New Hampshire’s Independent System Operator (ISO) and Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) regulating wholesale energy prices and managing grid operations.