Press Releases
SPP stakeholders celebrate 20 years, approve annual budget, elect 2025 board and committee members
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Southwest Power Pool (SPP) convened its Board of Directors, Members Committee and Regional State Committee (RSC) Oct. 28 and 29 in Little Rock, Arkansas. At the groups’ quarterly meetings, the RSC conducted officer elections for 2025, and SPP stakeholders elected board and Members Committee representatives for new terms beginning Jan. 1, 2025. Stakeholders also celebrated the 20th anniversary of SPP’s designation as a regional transmission organization (RTO).
Read MoreSPP board approves $7.7 billion plan for transmission builds, upgrades
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — At its Oct. 29 meeting, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Board of Directors approved a historic $7.7 billion plan to expand and upgrade the region’s transmission capacity. The initiative represents a major milestone in serving increasing demand for reliable electricity throughout the regional transmission organization’s (RTO) service territory.
Read MoreSPP seeks industry experts to assess competitive transmission project proposals
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — 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 2025.
Read MoreSPP and its member organizations propose historic investment in transmission upgrades
On Oct. 15, SPP’s stakeholders voted in support of the single largest portfolio of transmission investments in the organization’s history. SPP’s Integrated Transmission Planning (ITP) process yielded recommendations for $7.7 billion in transmission projects that studies show will pay for themselves in a matter of years, return benefits at a rate of at least eight-to-one and address reliability needs across SPP’s service territory resulting from load growth, changes in the region’s generating fleet, resiliency from increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events and more.
Read MoreSPP celebrates 20 years as an RTO with growth and added value for members
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Southwest Power Pool (SPP) celebrated 20 years as a regional transmission organization (RTO) on Oct. 4. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved and designated SPP as an RTO on Oct. 4, 2004, positioning the grid operator to expand its services and value to its diverse group of members and leading to continued growth of the SPP footprint and more than $3.6 billion in annual benefits.
Read MoreSPP Announces Promotions, Retirement
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Southwest Power Pool (SPP) today announced multiple promotions to director- and executive-level roles in their legal and engineering areas as well as the retirement of an industry veteran.
Read MoreSouthwest Power Pool issues Energy Emergency Alert 1 due to high temperatures
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – The effects of widespread high temperatures have led to tightening electric reliability conditions in Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) 14-state service territory in the central U.S. We have issued an Energy Emergency Alert 1 (EEA1) effective at 12:30 pm central time and until further notice.
Read MoreSPP Ends Energy Emergency Alert, Remains In Conservative Operations
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – As of 3:00 p.m. central time, August 26, Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) 14-state balancing authority area is no longer under an Energy Emergency Alert 1 (EEA1). Due to continuing high temperatures and tightened electric reliability conditions, it remains in a period of conservative operations until 8:00 p.m. central time, August 27.
Read MoreSouthwest Power Pool President and CEO Barbara Sugg announces retirement after 35 years of service
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) President and CEO Barbara Sugg announced on August 8 that she will retire in April 2025 following 35 years of service to the organization. SPP’s board of directors has engaged search firm Heidrick & Struggles to assess internal and external candidates to identify Sugg’s replacement. The board will name a new CEO prior to Sugg’s departure, allowing ample time for a smooth, effective transition.
Read MoreSPP board approves new planning reserve margins to protect against high winter, summer use
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — At their August 5-6 meetings, Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) Regional State Committee and Board of Directors approved increases to the planning reserve margins (PRM) member utilities are required to maintain in support of regional grid reliability. PRM represents the amount of back-up power utilities must have to guard against unplanned conditions or events on the regional power grid.
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