Southwest Power Pool Inc., the grid operator for 14 states in the central U.S., said that over a dozen western utilities have committed to receive its reliability coordination services which will launch in the west in December 2019, according to a Sept. 17 press release. SPP is collaborating with Peak Reliability and the California grid operator to streamline operations in the Western Interconnection to ensure smooth transition of customers. The grid operator has served the Eastern Interconnection for over two decades and has expanded its services and territory several times. Earlier this year, the California grid operator also announced plans to develop its own reliability services to avert price hikes from the potential departure of the Mountain West Transmission Group from Peak – the grid operator’s current coordinator – and Peak’s partnership with PJM Interconnection LLC to offer market services.