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Forecasting

16th Annual ISO Forecasting Summit Comes to the Second City

September 29, 2025

Itron hosted the 16th Annual ISO Forecasting Summit from Sept. 17 - 19 in Chicago, IL. Attendees included representatives from: 

  • Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)
  • Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO)
  • California Independent System Operator (CAISO)
  • Energy Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
  • ISO New England (ISONE) 
  • Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)
  • New York Independent System Operator (NYISO)
  • PJM Interconnection (PJM)
  • Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

The Annual ISO Summit is a unique opportunity for Independent System Operators (ISO) and Transmission System Operators (TSO) to convene in a setting free from market participants. This environment fosters open dialogue, allowing attendees to candidly share their perspectives, challenges and solutions. Participants presented a range of issues affecting both their short-term and long-term outlooks, including behind-the-meter solar generation, data centers and extreme weather conditions.  

While the discussions were wide-ranging and insightful, a few topics stood out:

  • The suprisingly rapid siting and development of data centers in certain regions and their unique profiles (e.g., cloud-computing vs. video streaming services).
  • The challenges of forecasting winter peaks as load profiles evolve over time, partly attributed to the proliferation of cold-climate heat pumps. 
  • A lighthearted moment when we learned about a phase more commonly heard in the UK, Canada and Australia: “Bob’s your uncle!” —which essentially means “It’s as simple as that.” For example: “We add sugar… we add butter… Bob’s your uncle… Here are the cookies.” 

All of this year’s attendees utilize Itron’s forecasting software (MetrixIDR, MetrixND and MetrixLT) and services to varying degrees. In fact, every organization in attendance depends on MetrixIDR to support their real-time and day-ahead market operations. Still, ISOs without existing relationships with Itron have attended in prior years, and we always welcome new participants.

If you're interested in joining future ISO Forecasting Summits, we encourage you to reach out at forecasting@itron.com.

 

By Rich Simons

Principal Forecast Consultant

Since joining Itron in 2000, Mr. Simons has developed, implemented and supported numerous day-ahead and real-time forecasting systems for Independent System Operators (ISOs), retailers, distribution companies, cooperatives and wholesale generators, including NYISO, IESO, TVA, Consolidated Edison, NRG Energy, PSEG and Vectren. Mr. Simons has implemented systems to support budget & long-term forecasting, weather-normalization, and unbilled-energy estimation for municipal utilities, electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities, including Ameren, Entergy and FirstEnergy. Mr. Simons has developed forecasting and analysis solutions for municipal water utilities and has developed several customized applications and models for forecasting revenues, managing bills, weather-normalizing sales and estimating unbilled energy. Mr. Simons has reconfigured, streamlined and deployed load research systems at multiple utilities including United Illuminating, Indianapolis Power & Light, TECO Energy, NVEnergy, Colorado Springs Utilities and Lincoln Electric. Mr. Simons has implemented real-time natural gas forecasting systems to support operations at Vectren Energy and Consolidated Edison. In 2019 and 2020, Mr. Simons was a key team-member on a well-publicized report for NYISO to analyze long-term weather trends across the New York state.