Comments on July 22 stakeholder call discussion

1. Provide your organization’s comments on the July 22, 2021 stakeholder call discussion for the 2022 Budget and Grid Management Process:

The City of Santa Clara California, doing business as Silicon Valley Power (“SVP”) and the Modesto Irrigation District (“MID”) thank the California Independent System Operator Corporation (“CAISO”) for the opportunity to ask questions during the July 22, 2021 stakeholder meeting, and have the following additional questions, which SVP and MID respectfully request the CAISO answer.

Regarding CAISO’s 2022-2023 Preliminary Project Listing:

• What do the “Customer ISO Resource Adequacy (CIRA)-technical enhancements 2022” entail, and is this contingent on the RA Enhancements initiative being concluded first?
• What does the COTP WAPA settlements project listing entail?
• Describe the “Enhanced curtailment tool” project.

• Identify and explain any of the preliminary projects relating to cybersecurity efforts.
• Identify and explain any of the preliminary projects related to CAISO’s compliance with FERC Order 2222.
• Can CAISO specify the timeline and milestones it envisions undertaking in the TAC Structure Enhancements initiative in 2022-2023?

Regarding CAISO’s Active Project listing:

• Please provide CAISO’s full list of what is included in the 2021 Campus Operation Funding project, which CAISO during the meeting noted is an existing document it offered to provide upon request.  Please confirm or correct our understanding from the meeting discussion that the #12522 associated with 2021 Campus Operation Funding pertains to the project elements that can be capitalized, whereas the #21452 pertains to the project elements that cannot be capitalized such as software not owned by CAISO.
• Please explain the reason for the large increase shown in forecasted costs for the “2021 Campus Operation Funding” active project (i.e., $1,017,967) that appears to only cover one year, relative to the approved project budget for the “Campus Operation 2019 & 2020” completed project (i.e., $555,182) that appears to cover two years.  Does CAISO anticipate these costs continuing to rise for the “Campus operations annual funding” 2022-2023 preliminary project?
• Please compare the “Summer 2021 Readiness Initiative” project with the “Summer 2021 Readiness Non Cap” project, in terms of what types of expenditures each project includes (please include detail beyond a general explanation that #12464 concerns project elements that can be capitalized, whereas #21450 concerns project elements that cannot be capitalized such as software not owned by the CAISO).
• On the active projects list, please describe the difference between the three RC-related projects (i.e., RC Enhancements 2020, RC 2021, and RC Forecast & Schedule Data Reporting Automation) in terms of what types of expenditures each project includes.
• Is the CRR System Replacement project part of a new initiative? Please describe in detail what this project entails, including the current projected timeline.
• Identify and explain any active capital projects related to cybersecurity investments.  
• Identify and explain any active capital projects related to CAISO’s compliance with FERC Order 2222. 

Regarding the CAISO’s list of Projects Completed July 2020 through June 2021:

• Please describe in detail what the CRR System Replacement completed project entailed.

Regarding the CAISO’s 2021 Quarterly Financial Reports:

• Please explain in detail why the “Focus on Customer Service and Other Costs” budget is exceeded by $518,000.
• Referring to both quarterly financial reports posted thus far for 2021, what were the most significant (cost-wise) capital projects CAISO’s Corporate Management Committee approved in Q1 2021 ($8.3 million) and Q2 2021 ($11.7 million)?