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SPP Receives FERC Approval to be First RTO Operating in Both Eastern and Western Interconnections

LCG, March 205, 2025--The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) today announced it will soon be the first regional transmission organization (RTO) in the nation to provide full services in both the Eastern and Western Interconnections of the U.S. power grid. On March 20, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unanimously approved Southwest Power Pool’s amended tariff that includes provisions that enable Western members to join the RTO. The expansion of the SPP RTO is scheduled to go live April 1, 2026.

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LCG Publishes Updated 2025 Annual Outlook for Texas Electricity Market (ERCOT)

LCG, March 20, 2025 – LCG Consulting (LCG) has released a second edition of its annual outlook of the ERCOT wholesale electricity market for 2025, highlighting the region's rapid transition toward increased reliance on renewable energy resources and battery storage.

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Industry News

Allete? That’s Minnesota Power’s New Moniker; Meantime, Precision Power Became Xcelecom

LCG, Aug. 9, 2000--The search for "brand names" by U.S. electric companies continues, and so far no one has found the magic word that will stick in Americas consciousness the way Ford, Chevrolet, Edison, Westinghouse, Dow or DuPont have.

Yesterday, Minnesota Power Co. announced with enthusiasm that beginning September 1 it will go by the alias "Allete," though its electricity customers will still make out their checks to Minnesota Power. The company lamely explained that the new name combines "all" and "elite." If thats the case, why didnt it come out "Allite?"

Ed Russell, Minnesota Powers chairman, said "We wanted to be both all-inclusive and recognized for striving to be the best." The all-inclusive part is a problem. Minnesota Power is very big in the used car auction business in the U.S. and Canada and recently bought some water properties in Florida.

Hes hoping that "Allete" will strike in the public the same sort of chord as do General Electric, United Airlines, Ivory Soap, Safeway and even the Atcheson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Co.

Minnesota Power wasnt alone in this search yesterday. Precision Power Inc., a non-regulated affiliate of United Illuminating Co., New Haven, Conn. electric utility, said its name had been changed to "Xcelecom." It likes the "com" part so much that it will have a Website named Xcelecom.com.

Dennis Dugan, the companys president, said "We felt our name needed to more broadly reflect our capabilities, strategy and objectives as we move forward and continue building the company."

Precision Power wont disappear. It will continue to be a non-regulated electric service provider in New Haven, but the company wants to get into all kinds of telecommunications businesses and has recently made some acquisitions, including The Data Store in New Jersey and an electrical contractor in Pennsylvania.

The thing about successful company names is, they usually tell you the "who" or the "what" and sometimes both.

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