Southwest Power Pool Board Approves $8.6 Billion Transmission Plan to Strengthen Grid Reliability and Meet Rising Demand

Southwest Power Pool Board of Directors on Nov. 5 approved the grid operator’s 2025 Integrated Transmission Plan, authorizing $8.6 billion in transmission upgrades and new high-voltage lines across its 14-state region. The plan represents one of the most ambitious investments in SPP’s history and is designed to ensure a reliable, affordable, and resilient grid as electricity demand surges and the energy mix evolves.

The 2025 ITP identifies a portfolio of transmission projects projected to deliver between $12 and $18 in regional benefits for every dollar invested, the highest benefit-to-cost ratio achieved in the organization’s planning history. The projects were selected through the integrated transmission planning process, which involves extensive stakeholder participation and scenario-based modeling to assess long-term system needs under varying conditions.

At the center of the plan is a new 765-kilovolt transmission backbone that will enhance long-distance power delivery across the region. Compared to 345-kilovolt lines, a 765-kilovolt line can transmit four times more power while occupying less land and reducing energy losses, making it a cost-effective and future-ready infrastructure solution. The portfolio also includes upgrades to existing high-voltage facilities to improve reliability, support economic growth, and integrate new generation resources.

Analysis from the regional transmission organization indicates that electricity demand across its footprint could double within the next decade, driven by economic expansion and electrification. Even under conservative assumptions, a 35 percent increase is anticipated, underscoring the need for timely investment. The approved portfolio is designed to facilitate the interconnection of both renewable and dispatchable resources, including natural gas units currently in the interconnection queue, to maintain reliability as the resource mix diversifies.

The plan builds on decades of collaborative planning across the region and represents a balanced approach to grid modernization. It combines near-term reliability needs with long-term infrastructure development to deliver measurable benefits to consumers.