ISO New England Inc. unveiled two initiatives aimed to implement near-term changes in the grid operator’s operations and markets to ensure winter reliability, according to a Nov. 2 news release. Under the first initiative, the grid operator will start a 21-day forecast of the region’s available fuel supplies on Nov. 26 to identify an energy alert or emergency. The second one will involve changes in the daily energy market, where generators will be provided with an estimated opportunity cost to incorporate into the next day’s offer price. The initiative will provide a market-based approach that improves reliability and cost-effectiveness by conserving fuel for the times when it will be needed most. The changes stem from the two-week cold weather period last winter, when oil-fired power plants faced the risk of running out of fuel as the system relied heavily on plants that used oil stored onsite. Oil supplies dropped to 19 percent from the 68 percent level at the start of the cold spell.