CAISO’s EDAM Creates Market and Metering Opportunities

May 1 is a significant milestone for electric power in the Western United States.

According to CAISO, “On May 1 (2026), CAISO and PacifiCorp will officially launch the Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM)! After years of planning and testing, this milestone aims to boost grid efficiency, enhance reliability, and cut costs for participants across the region.”

Metering and submission of Settlement Quality Meter Data are two of the considerations and requirements to join EDAM. Trimark expects that many resources who choose to participate in EDAM will elect to submit their meter data through CAISO’s Scheduling Coordinator Metered Entity (SCME) program. Over the years, Trimark has helped nearly a thousand resources meet NRI and other requirements to submit Settlement Quality Meter Data (SQMD) to the CAISO. Further, Trimark staff have extensive knowledge regarding how EDAM converges with metering requirements, meter reading, and approved processes for submitting SQMD.

Trimark can not only help resources and Scheduling Coordinators meet the up front requirements, but Trimark also helps maintain compliance over time with Meter Data Management Agent services, SCME Planning and Audit, and meter maintenance.

Background

To understand EDAM, one should start by learning about the Day-Ahead Market (DAM). The DAM is a wholesale electricity market operated by, and limited to, a single Independent System Operator (ISO) or Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) (e.g. CAISO, PJM, ERCOT). DAM allows generators, utilities, and load-serving entities to submit bids for power generation the day before electricity is physically delivered. The ISO determines which generators will run and how much electricity they produce to meet demand.

The new, voluntary, Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM) builds on DAM but expands its borders to include any Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) entity – from the Pacific Coast to the Rockies and from northern Baja, Mexico, to the northern borders of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. PacifiCorp is the first entity to join EDAM.

While managed by the CAISO, EDAM allows Balancing Authorities within WEIM to add their resources to this coordinated management strategy, diversifying generation resources. For example, EDAM can use northwestern hydroelectric at night and, during daytime, deliver surplus solar power to areas that are not conducive to solar generation.

EDAM Participants

Resources can choose to track power deliveries by having CAISO read their meters (ISO ME) or by having a qualified Scheduling Coordinator submit meter data – a designation known as a Scheduling Coordinator Metered Entity (SCME).

Operating as an SCME provides flexibility in the owner’s approach to metering. Advantages include:

• Flexibility in meter selection and testing.
• Ability to implement advanced, peer-to-peer metering schemes and Dynamic Loss Compensation to recognize actual energy losses.
• Early detection and resolution of meter or communication issues. Trimark reads meters every business day.
• Owners and the Scheduling Coordinator review SQMD data before submitting data for settlement.

Trimark Can Help You Too

There are several guardrails in place to ensure reliable settlement data. For example SCME resources must have an approved SQMD plan. Then they must conduct an Annual Affirmation and a bi-annual Self-Audit of processes as evidence of compliance.

Trimark provides services to help resource owners in all of these compliance areas. For further information, contact Trimark.