Regional Reliability Remains Strong Ahead of Winter 2025–2026
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP)—which manages and coordinates electric reliability across 14 central U.S. states—said it expects to have sufficient generation capacity to meet demand during the upcoming winter season.
“Reliability is a top priority for SPP,” said Bruce Rew, SPP’s senior vice president of operations. “Though we anticipate no major concerns this season, we are working proactively with our member utilities to monitor the grid and be prepared should significant winter storms cause power issues. We’ve collected and analyzed data from past grid events to apply lessons learned to help ensure uninterrupted energy flows for our members and their customers.”
Annual Assessment Highlights Seasonal Preparation
Focus on Lessons Learned and Winter Storm Readiness
SPP conducts a winter reliability assessment each year, evaluating grid conditions, generation availability, and weather impacts for the December-to-February period. The process identifies potential threats to system reliability and develops mitigation strategies in advance.
This year’s review found that the generation mix across the SPP region—which includes Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, Arkansas, and other surrounding states—is strong enough to withstand typical winter demand peaks.
The organization said collaboration with utilities remains key to maintaining grid stability, especially during extreme cold weather events similar to those experienced in past years.
Weather Forecast Shows Mixed Outlook Across the Region
Northern Areas Colder, Southern Areas Warmer Than Normal
“Overall, colder temperatures are predicted in the northern part of the SPP footprint,” said SPP meteorologist Jeff Baskin. “Warmer-than-normal conditions are anticipated in the southern area, and normal temperatures are expected in the central area.”
The temperature variation means SPP will continue to monitor load balancing and energy dispatch closely to ensure adequate power reserves throughout the season.
Public Briefing and Emergency Readiness Conference Scheduled
SPP will present more details about its winter forecast, reliability assessment, and emergency preparedness during the Winter 2025–2026 Readiness Forecast and Emergency Communications Net Conference on Monday at 2 p.m. CST.
The public webinar is open to all interested stakeholders and requires advance registration.
If conditions begin to threaten system reliability, SPP said it will communicate with member utilities, stakeholders, and the public through its grid notice email distribution list and official social media channels.
Current grid conditions can always be viewed at www.SPP.org/grid-conditions.