Catch Some Z’s

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Physics vs. Paperwork! Is California over-procuring?

Prepared by Ziad Alaywan — Originally published in The Friday Burrito, “Casting into Summer,” Vol. XXIX, #17 (June 5, 2026)

Attending the recent 10-year anniversary conference of the California Community Choice Association (CalCCA) in Sacramento was an eye-opener. The energy in the room (pardon the…
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It’s Finally here!

Prepared by Ziad Alaywan — Originally published in The Friday Burrito, “The Ideals Among Us,” Vol. XXIX, #15 (May 15, 2026)

April 30, 2026, the successful launch of the Day-Ahead Market Enhancements (DAME) and the Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM). This transition represents the most significant shift…
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Electrons do not Care about CAISO Tariffs

Prepared by Ziad Alaywan — Originally published in The Friday Burrito, “Webonize RA,” Vol. XXIX, #12 (April 17, 2026)

On April 7, 2026, the new 2025-2026 cycle of the CAISO transmission plan identified the need for 38 transmission projects, recommending an estimated total infrastructure…
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Is the bureaucracy actively plotting against us? Or maybe not!

Prepared by Prepared by Ziad Alaywan — Originally published in The Friday Burrito, “We REST Our Case,” Vol. XXIX, #9 (March 20, 2026)

The electricity industry is navigating a perfect storm of macroeconomic, regulatory and environmental roadblocks as developers attempt to get new infrastructure built. It makes you…
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Musical Chairs!! Resource Adequacy Slice of Day Regime

Prepared by Alaywan — Originally published in The Friday Burrito, “Recycled Chicken Schmaltz,” Vol. XXIX, #2 (January 16, 2026)

There is a growing debate over whether California is overproducing renewable energy, forcing the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to either curtail renewable generation or…
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All is Good

Prepared by Nicole Ramos and Ziad Alaywan P.E. — Originally published in The Friday Burrito

The Increasing Trend of Negative Energy Pricing and Renewable Energy Curtailments in California – Is This a Problem or an Expected Outcome of a Rationally…
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Let’s Get Our House in Order

Prepared by Ziad Alaywan — Originally published in The Friday Burrito

Since the CAISO’s inception in 1998, it has stayed resolute in its intention to pursue expansion of centralized markets throughout the West. Endless studies have…
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Musical Chairs!! Resource Adequacy Slice of Day Regime

Prepared by Ziad Alaywan — Originally published in The Friday Burrito, “DeepSpeak Easy,” Vol. XXVIII, #5 (February 14, 2025).

An unintended consequence of the transition to a supply portfolio dominated by solar has been an oversupply of energy in hours when solar energy is…
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