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News
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LCG, April 29, 2026--Graphic Packaging Holding Company today announced a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with NextEra Energy Resources, LLC. With the VPPA agreement, NextEra Energy Resources plans to build the Selenite Springs Energy Center, a 250-MW solar energy facility in West Texas, and Graphic Packaging will be the sole buyer of the facility's renewable energy attribute certificates. Graphic Packaging, a global provider of sustainable consumer packaging, expects the agreement to cover approximately 43 percent of its 2025 electricity usage in the U.S. and Canada. The agreement will advance Graphic Packaging's commitment to source renewable electricity and reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
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LCG, April 29, 2026--PJM Interconnection today announced that 811 new generation projects applied to connect to the grid through the first Cycle of PJM's new reformed interconnection process, which is designed to improve the certainty, speed and discipline of generation project review. In total, the generation applications would be capable of generating 220 GW of electricity.
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Industry News
SPP's Western Expansion Set for Implementation on April 1
LCG, March 13, 2026--The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) announced yesterday that leaders from the participating organizations voted unanimously to proceed as planned with expanding its regional transmission organization (RTO) services into the Western Interconnection. SPP sees the decision to proceed as planned as a strong signal of confidence as SPP and its partner utilities prepare for this key milestone, which will occur overnight between March 31 and April 1.
With achieving the milestone, the following organizations and their customers will become part of the regional system operated by SPP: Basin Electric Power Cooperative; Colorado Springs Utilities; Deseret Power Electric Cooperative; Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska; Platte River Power Authority; Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association; and Western Area Power Administration’s Upper Great Plains-West region, Colorado River Storage Project, and Rocky Mountain region. This milestone follows years of planning and collaboration among SPP and the organizations joining the RTO.
SPP's president and CEO stated, "April 1 will be a milestone day for SPP when we become the first regional transmission organization to bridge the eastern and western electric grids. We are excited to share the benefits of RTO participation with western utilities and their customers."
As new SPP utilities will begin receiving the benefits of SPP's multi-state operational model. A wide variety of benefits exist, including: (i) access to a larger grid network, a broader set of energy resources, and enhanced 24/7 grid-monitoring, which reduces electric service outage risks during unexpected system events; (ii) SPP coordinates use of the lowest-cost available power to serve wholesale electricity demand across the RTO’s entire region; (iii) states and local jurisdictions retain authority over infrastructure construction and electricity rates; (iv) SPP provides information to assist jurisdictions in making decisions and managing implementation across a shared grid; (v) SPP coordinates transmission planning and supports accelerated decisions for new loads; and (vi) SPP supports large load growth while balancing reliability and affordability.
SPP states that the benefits of operating as one coordinated system will grow over time, as regional planning, shared operations, and collaborative decision-making help position communities and businesses for a more resilient and competitive energy future.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association's CEO said, "Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is thrilled to join the SPP RTO western expansion. This move is about delivering better value, greater reliability, and long-term savings to our members and the communities they serve. We have enjoyed a strong partnership with SPP, and we look forward to the additional opportunities and benefits this expansion will bring to our members."
Colorado Springs Utilities' CEO stated, "We are actively seeking ways to manage costs and maintain reliability for our customers, while also accessing cleaner energy. Innovative solutions such as joining the Southwest Power Pool enhance our ability to deliver diverse resources - such as wind, solar, natural gas or nuclear - at a lower cost to help manage electric costs for our community. This larger pool of resources also helps us meet state emissions requirements in a cost-effective way."
Platte River Power Authority's General Manager and CEO said, "Joining the SPP RTO expansion marks the culmination of nearly a decade of dedicated work by our employees and a major milestone for our owner communities as we advance toward a noncarbon energy future. I appreciate the collaboration and support from Lanny Nickell and the SPP team over the last several years to make this possible. This integration will provide broader access to renewable energy resources and allow us to realize the cost efficiencies that come with participating in a fully integrated energy market."
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UPLAN-NPM
The Locational Marginal Price Model (LMP) Network Power Model
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UPLAN-ACE
Day Ahead and Real Time Market Simulation
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UPLAN-G
The Gas Procurement and Competitive Analysis System
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PLATO
Database of Plants, Loads, Assets, Transmission...
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