In 2020, demand response programs were more crucial than ever in helping to ensure a stable, reliable grid. And during this unprecedented year, many businesses we work with went above and beyond in their demand response curtailment, making localized energy reduction contributions as a demand-side resource for the energy grid, and supporting their local communities.
We’ve honored customers with awards for their performance—together, our 2020 award winners curtailed more than 1.5 gigawatts of energy demand when the grid needed it most. Our awards spanned markets across Alberta, California, Ontario, New York, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, New England, and Texas. Below, we highlight a few of our Market MVP award winners for their contributions to supporting grid reliability in specific demand response programs.
California MVP
California’s grid faced major challenges in 2020, and demand response programs rose to the occasion and helped during blackouts that arrived amid record-setting wildfires and heat waves. During the summer, customers in some parts of the state were asked to curtail their load multiple days in a row, and Enel X’s customers delivered valuable support to the grid and their communities. We’re highlighting the efforts of California Resources Corporation, the largest oil and natural gas producer in California, who made important contributions to helping the grid in California.
New York MVP
In New York, our demand response MVP was General Electric Company. With global reach and leading technology and innovation, General Electric also makes significant local contributions to supporting grid reliability in New York State, with two corporate locations enrolled in demand response. General Electric made significant contributions to the local grid in New York during 2020, and we recognize their impeccable performance with our New York MVP award.
Ontario MVP
In Ontario’s DR program, the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) pays commercial and industrial energy consumers for the amount of electricity demand they can remove from the grid at the times when they need it most. Cascades Canada Inc., a leading provider of sustainable, innovative, and value-added packaging, hygiene, and recovery solutions, was our MVP for the province, helping to provide crucial curtailment during 2020.
PJM ELRP MVP
The PJM Emergency Load Response Program (ELRP) is the world’s longest-running and largest demand response market, and PJM demand response participants continue to provide critical capacity to the PJM Interconnection, which covers broad swaths of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. And none more so than Pactiv Evergreen, a leading manufacturer of food and beverage packaging solutions. With facilities enrolled in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia, Pactiv Evergreen demonstrates the continued value of demand response as a grid resource in PJM.
PJM SRM MVP
PJM’s Synchronized Reserves Market (SRM) is an ancillary services program that supports the PJM electric grid during unexpected system disruptions that last for a short period of time, such as unexpected spikes in energy demand. Eramet Marietta’s Ohio-based manganese alloy manufacturing facility provides critical grid support to the Synchronized Reserves Market. SRM participants are on standby to support the grid 24x7x365, and the grid reductions they provide help balance electricity supply as it moves from generating sources to end consumers.
