Press Releases
SPP sets wind and renewable penetration records
Southwest Power Pool set three wind- and renewable-related records on the morning of Dec. 4, 2017.
Read MoreSummer 2017 Quarterly State of the Market Report highlights energy pricing trends, new scarcity pricing methodology and more
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Marketing Monitoring Unit (MMU) has released its Quarterly State of the Market Report for the summer 2017 period. Highlights for the summer include:
- Energy prices were higher for July, mostly due to higher demand.
- Gas prices remained low and steady.
- The percentage of generation provided by wind resources continued to climb, while generation provided by coal-powered resources continued to decline.
- In August, SPP implemented new methodology for scarcity pricing, as well as changes to the market design for jointly-owned units.
Grid operator Southwest Power Pool keeps the lights on during August 21 eclipse
Electrically, Aug. 21 was just another day for Southwest Power Pool (SPP), whose accurate forecasts and skilled real-time operations staff ensured that lights (and air conditioners) stayed on without interruption even while darkness fell at midday across its 14-state footprint during the totality of a solar eclipse.
Read MoreSouthwest Power Pool to dissolve regional entity, focus on regional transmission organization functions
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP) and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) have mutually agreed to terminate the Amended and Restated Delegation Agreement between North American Electric Reliability Corporation and Southwest Power Pool, Inc. On July 23, 2017, the SPP Regional Transmission Organization’s (RTO) board of directors and members committee voted to authorize President and Chief Executive Officer Nick Brown to terminate the delegation agreement at the appropriate time, which will effectively dissolve the SPP Regional Entity (RE). The SPP RE Trustees approved a resolution on July 24, 2017 endorsing the decision.
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 2018.
Read MoreKeith Collins to oversee Southwest Power Pool Market Monitoring Unit beginning June 1, 2017
The five independent directors comprising Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) Oversight Committee voted April 13, 2017, to name Keith Collins the new executive director of SPP’s Market Monitoring Unit (MMU), effective June 1, 2017.
Read MoreReport from North America’s electricity system operators examines impact of emerging technologies
A report from an affiliation of independent electric grid operators concludes that the future of the North American power grid depends on effectively adding renewables to the grid, the accuracy and availability of data from “behind-the-meter” resources and coordinating these distributed energy resources at the grid operator level to preserve reliability.
Read MoreSPP sets North American record for wind power
Southwest Power Pool set a wind-penetration record of 52.1 percent at 4:30 a.m., Feb. 12, becoming the first regional transmission organization (RTO) in North America to serve more than 50 percent of its load at a given time with wind energy. The milestone beats a previous North American RTO record of 49.2 percent that SPP set April 24, 2016. Wind penetration is a measure of the amount of total load served by wind at a given time.
Read MoreWith DOE approval, Southwest Power Pool now authorized to export power into Canada
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) on Feb. 7 received notice that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) approved an application to export energy to Saskpower, Saskatchewan’s leading electricity supplier. Terms of the 5-year export license specify that SPP may export up to 150 MW of instantaneous power and up to 900 GWh of power during any consecutive 12-month period.
Read MoreSPP’s Sugg testifies to lawmakers that electric utility industry is committed to security of the power grid
At today’s House Subcommittee on Energy hearing titled “The Electricity Sector’s Efforts to Respond to Cybersecurity Threats,” Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Security Officer Barbara Sugg testified on behalf of the ISO-RTO Council (IRC) — of which SPP is a member — an association of North American regional transmission organizations and independent system operators that ensure electric reliability and oversee wholesale electricity markets in their respective regions.
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