Press Releases
SPP to provide RC service for numerous western utilities beginning in late 2019
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) proudly welcomes recent commitments by a number of western utilities to receive its Reliability Coordinator (RC) services when they launch in late 2019. Having served as an RC in the Eastern Interconnection for more than two decades, SPP will ensure the reliability of the bulk electric system in the west on behalf of ...
Read MoreSPP’s westward growth continues with administration of congestion-management plan
As Southwest Power Pool (SPP) continues negotiations to provide reliability coordination in the Western Interconnection, on Aug. 20 it took another step in the westward expansion of its services. A group of six utilities have selected SPP to administer the Western Interconnection Unscheduled Flow Mitigation Plan (WIUFMP), a blueprint for the use of certain controllable devices in the mitigation of congestion along transmission lines in the west.
Read MoreSPP opens lines of communication with western reliability-coordination customers with new stakeholder forum
Following its June 5 announcement that SPP would look to provide reliability-coordination services in the Western Interconnection, the regional transmission organization (RTO) and North American Reliability Corporation (NERC)-certified Reliability Coordinator (RC) convened Aug. 2 with interested parties at the first meeting of its new Western Reliability Working Group (WRWG).
Read MoreSPP board directs construction of high-voltage transmission projects in 6 states, discusses growth in the west, hears stakeholder reports
More than a hundred of Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) members and stakeholders gathered in Omaha on July 31 for the regional transmission organization’s (RTO) quarterly board of directors and members committee meeting. Among other actions, the board approved the 2018 Integrated Transmission Plan Near-Term (ITPNT) Assessment, requiring SPP members to construct 13 new transmission projects in six states over the next five years, at an estimated total investment of $47 million. These upgrades are expected to resolve 101 anticipated reliability needs on the electric grid, resulting primarily from increased electric consumption expected in certain areas of the region and from announced generation retirements in eastern Kansas and western Missouri.
Read MoreSpring 2018 Quarterly State of the Market Report highlights load changes, energy prices and auction revenue rights
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Marketing Monitoring Unit (MMU) has released its Quarterly State of the Market Report for the spring 2018 period, which covers March through May 2018. Highlights for the period include:
• Higher load due to lower than normal temperatures in March and April, and much higher than normal temperatures in May.
• Energy prices remained low, with spring prices averaging around $23/MWh.
• Decrease in intervals that experienced negative energy prices.
• A discussion of auction revenue rights is included in the special issues section of the report.
SPP to provide reliability-coordination service in the west
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) looks to bring its experience as a time-tested grid operator to the Western Interconnection with plans to offer reliability-coordination (RC) services there beginning in late 2019. SPP has indicated its intent to serve as an RC in the west in letters to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Twenty-eight western utilities — representing approximately 200 terawatt-hours of net energy for load — have already signed letters of intent expressing interest in SPP’s RC services.
Read MoreSPP seeks industry experts to assess competitive transmission project proposals
Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP) is accepting applications to create a pool of industry experts. These experts may be chosen to serve on an independent panel to review competitive transmission construction proposals in 2019.
Read MoreSPP Market Monitor’s Annual State of the Market Report shows competitive markets, recommends steps for enhanced flexibility and efficiency
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Marketing Monitoring Unit (MMU) has released its 2017 Annual State of the Market Report. The report presents an overview of market design and market outcomes, assesses market performance and provides recommendations for improvement.
Read MoreWinter 2018 Quarterly State of the Market Report highlights congestion trends, energy prices, a discussion of winter weather events, and more
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Marketing Monitoring Unit (MMU) has released its Quarterly State of the Market Report for the winter 2018 period. Highlights for the winter include:
• Energy prices remained low, with winter prices averaging around $24/MWh.
• Gas prices remained low, with the exception of a spike in January.
• High levels of congestion continued at the Neosho-Riverton constraint.
Southwest Power Pool, Mountain West Transmission Group move closer to RTO membership for western entities
On March 13, Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) board of directors approved the next phase of the continuing effort to integrate the Mountain West Transmission Group into the regional transmission organization’s (RTO) membership. The board’s vote is the culmination of more than a year of negotiations regarding the terms and conditions of Mountain West’s proposed membership in the SPP RTO and participation in SPP’s wholesale electricity markets. It represents a vote of confidence in the value of Mountain West’s membership and the benefits it will bring to SPP’s existing members, the Mountain West entities and the customers served by both.
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