Sinceits launch in 2014, the western energy imbalance market has provided totalbenefits of $64.6 million, according to a new quarterly benefits report fromthe California ISO.

Thereport shows thatfirst-quarter 2016 benefits totaled $18.9 million, higher than the previousquarter's total of $12.3 million. CAISO said the increase is attributed to theparticipation of BerkshireHathaway Energy subsidiary NVEnergy Inc., which became active in the real-time energy market onDec. 1, 2015.

NVEnergy's participation improved transmission access throughout Nevada and otherstates, CAISO said. In the first three months of 2016, NV Energy and saw benefits of $1.7million and $10.85 million, respectively, while CAISO saw benefits of nearly$6.35 million.

TheEIM also saved 48,342 tonnes of carbon emissions during the first quarter byusing 112,948 MWh of surplus renewable energy to meet demand instead of fossilfuel generation, CAISO said.

, aPinnacle West Capital Corp.subsidiary, and Puget Energy Inc.subsidiary Puget Sound EnergyInc. both intend to join the EIM on Oct. 1.

has announced plans to participate in October 2017, while subsidiary intends to joinin April 2018.