Incoming SPP CEO Lanny Nickell told attendees at the Energy Synergy Summit that infrastructure is the key to managing the energy transition.

SPP named Carrie Simpson, a key figure in its expansion efforts in the Western Interconnection, as its vice president of markets, effective April 1, replacing incoming COO Antoine Lucas.

The Bonneville Power Administration announced it intends to join SPP’s Markets+, saying in its draft policy that the day-ahead market “is the best long-term strategic direction for Bonneville, its customers and the Northwest.”

Proponents of SPP’s Markets+ argued in their last “issue alert” that the day-ahead market option provides a robust footprint with “exceptional generation and load diversity” across the region while also claiming recent warnings about its seam with CAISO’s EDAM are overblown.

Former BPA Administrators collaborated on a public letter distributed in the Pacific Northwest about the “tremendous risk being created” in the region by workforce reductions at the federal agency.

SPP promoted Felek Abbas to senior vice president and chief technology and security officer, combining those duties with his current duties as CSO.

MISO and SPP executives promised to open their queues’ floodgates at the Gulf Coast Power Association’s annual MISO-SPP conference.

The RTO said it has received signed Phase 2 funding agreements from eight interested participants in its proposed day-ahead service offering — including the Bonneville Power Administration.

Xcel Energy CEO Bob Frenzel said the Trump administration’s energy-related executive orders will have little effect on the company’s operations.