August 14, 2025

Markets+ phase two governance begins with key Western commitments

Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP)’s Markets+, its Western day-ahead market, marked a significant milestone this week when it officially launched phase two governance. The Markets+ Participant Executive Committee (MPEC) met Aug. 12 to approve phase two working group and task force rosters, establishing the governance structure that will guide Markets+ through implementation.

40 entities have committed to participate in Markets+ phase two governance, which enables them to hold seats and vote on market design initiatives. Participation in phase two governance is separate from a commitment to participate and fund the market. Any entity interested in joining Markets+ before launch is encouraged to request an agreement.

After securing financing and beginning system development in June, SPP proudly celebrates the regulatory and industry momentum in support of a transformative organized market initiative for the Western Interconnection.

The following list of Markets+ phase two participants includes utilities, clean energy advocates, renewable energy developers and regulatory bodies across the Pacific Northwest, Desert Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions across the Western United States and Canada, demonstrating broad stakeholder engagement in the market’s development and implementation:

Advanced Power Alliance	Northwest Requirements Utilities
American Clean Power Association	NW Energy Coalition
Arizona Public Service	Pattern Energy
Basin Electric Power Cooperative	Powerex Corp
Black Hills Power, Inc.	Public Generating Pool
Bonneville Power Administration	Public Power Council
Chelan County Public Utility District	Puget Sound Energy
Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power	Renewable Northwest
Clatskanie Peoples Public Utility District	Salt River Project
Clean Energy Buyers Association	Shell Energy US
Colorado Energy Office	Snohomish County Public Utility District
CORE Electric Cooperative	Tacoma Power
EDP Renewables North America, LLC	The Energy Authority, Inc.
Grant County Public Utility District	Tri-state Generation and Transmission Association
Idaho Power	Tucson Electric Power
Interwest Energy Alliance	Voltus
Leeward Energy	Western Energy Freedom Action
Lewis County Public Utility District	Western Power Trading Forum
Natural Resources Defense Council	Western Resource Advocates
Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition	Xcel Energy Colorado

 

"The commitment from these diverse stakeholders represents unprecedented collaboration across the Western Interconnection," said Carrie Simpson, SPP vice president of markets. "Markets+ provides a stakeholder-driven structure that delivers the coordination benefits essential for grid modernization and renewable energy integration."

SPP received funding commitments from nine utilities in the Western Interconnection Aug. 12. More information about registration, including deadlines, is available here.

SPP filed the Markets+ Tariff March 29, 2024, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the tariff Jan. 16. Markets+ is expected to launch October 2027. For more information about Markets+, visit www.marketsplus.org.

Derek Wingfield, 501-614-3394, dwingfield@spp.org