By Ethan Howland of UtilityDive
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Wednesday approved the Southwest Power Pool’s proposal for using “topology optimization” to reduce grid congestion and its related costs.
Traditionally, grid operators respond to grid congestion by redispatching power plants, which can lead to higher production and congestion costs, SPP said in its May 21 proposal to FERC.
However, with grid-enhancing technologies, grid operators can use topology reconfiguration to change power flows as a less expensive way to handle congestion, according to SPP, which runs the grid in all or part of 17 states from north Texas to North Dakota.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Aug. 19, 2026, approved the Southwest Power Pool’s proposal for using “topology optimization” to reduce grid congestion, which could cut down on the amount of wind generation the grid operator curtails. Getty ImagesUnder SPP’s plan, market participants will be able to submit proposals for reconfigurations due to power plant outages or grid con
