IT requirements for market participant interaction with ISOs/RTOs

Restructured energy markets can be understood as falling on a continuum between the extremes of balanced schedule and award-based markets depending on what is required of the market participant (MP). This paper focuses on the IT needs of MPs doing business in competitive markets, regardless of specific market rules. We examine three main areas of functionality: market communications, operations data management, and settlements. The paper suggests the importance of automation and sharing of information between groups within the MP organization, and concludes with a brief discussion of some additional IT capabilities MPs should consider.