Renewable Energy World reports that Southwest Power Pool (SPP), one of nation's largest regional transmission organizations, has requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) postpone 2024 interconnection requests and hold off on accepting new ones until the grid operator can catch up on previous clusters. In the article, United's Lisa Barrett categorizes SPP pausing its queue as disappointing.

As highlighted in a new report, interconnection queues around the country are backlogged. Terawatts of renewable projects are waiting to be connected to electrical grids. Mandates like FERC order 2023 intend to improve interconnection processes, but the horse may already have the barn in its rearview mirror.

Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which manages the electric grid and wholesale power market across 14 states in the central U.S., would at least like that horse to slow down.

Unprecedented queue volume has prompted SPP to ask the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a one-time waiver from part of its Open Access Transmission Tariff, namely the part about Generator Interconnection Procedures. In its filing, SPP requests postponing the processing of 2024 interconnection requests and holding off on accepting new ones until the grid operator can catch up on previous clusters. Blaming integration complexities and resource limitations, SPP suggests the waiver is necessary to focus on existing requests and provide them with more reliable study results.

Lisa Barrett, a director at clean energy trade association Advanced Energy United, said SPP pausing its queue is “disappointing.”

“It’s a reflection of how backlogged queues are in SPP and across the country, as well as the result of some unforced errors, like SPP’s failure to conduct contingent facility studies that caused further delays and restudies while trying to mitigate its queue backlog,” she added. “The waiver request underscores the urgency of moving forward with SPP’s Consolidated Planning Process, which has the potential for significant improvements to interconnection if well designed and implemented, including its proposed entry fee, among other positive reforms.”