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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.

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Entergy Estimates Customer Savings of $5B from "Fair Share Plus" Data Center Agreements

LCG, March 6, 2026--Entergy yesterday announced approximately $5 billion in total savings for 2.3 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi resulting from data center customer agreements in those states. Entergy, which completed its first data center customer agreement in 2024, projects the customer savings over the next 20 years and after the regulatory approval or acknowledgement of the public service commissions in those states.

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Industry News

California Biomass Plants' Viability Uncertain

LCG, December 23, 2002--Biomass plants in California's smoggy Central Valley, which have received state funding to assist with higher costs relative to other renewable power sources, could close within six months due to the state's unprecedented budget deficit.

Some of the plants, which require labor-intensive preparation of waste from agricultural sources, had previously closed in the 1990's, but then started up again when subsidies amounting to $30 million were approved by the state for three years, starting in 2000. The grants were viewed by legislators who approved them as a way to reduce air pollution in the Central Valley more cost-effectively than could be achieved by other means. Planning officials with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District say that for $1,400, the biomass plants can reduce particulates by a ton, whereas $5,710 might be incurred elsewhere to achieve the same effect. Without the biomass plants, field waste is burned at the farms where it is generated, resulting in 95 percent more soot, produced by 100 millions tons of waste each year.

Plants like Delano Energy may be able to continue operating, by virtue of their owners having signed contracts with a utility, in this case San Diego Gas and Electric. At other plants, like Madera Power in Firebaugh and Dinuba Energy in Tulare county, the uncertainty associated with California's projected $30 billion deficit has meant that lenders are unwilling to step in unless the plants are operating under 15- to 20-year contracts. Speaking to the Sacramento Bee, Sarah Reyes, D-Fresno, said, "Biomass is important not only for air quality, but for energy production." However, because of the deficit, she noted, "there's not going to be an opportunity for the state to subsidize them."

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