After approving SPP’s innovative Consolidated Planning Process (CPP), members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) praised the measure as ushering in a streamlined way to add more capacity to the grid.

SPP is generating national attention through its innovative processes to connect large load customers to the grid. Allison Clements, a former member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), was recently quoted in RTO Insider saying she’s impressed with SPP’s “proactive approach” in study and efficiency toward facilitating the build-out of large loads. “That helps to maintain affordability and reliability [while] still getting these data centers hooked up,” she

Raheem, SPP’s director of system planning, reporting to Casey Cathey, vice president of engineering, leads the development of the Integrated Transmission Plan (ITP) each year. The ITP is essential for ensuring the grid has the capability of handling and transferring power to meet the growing demand across SPP’s 17-state footprint.

Kris Raper’s career path took her from wrapping ankle monitors on parolees to being appointed by the governor of Idaho to the commission regulating electric utilities.

“It’s a little surreal,” said Johnson, SPP senior director of markets administration. “I’m super excited. Let’s get this thing on.”

Carrie Simpson, SPP’s vice president of markets, stressed that all energy market participants are on the same team when it comes to reliably and efficiently delivering electricity throughout the western United States.