Planning for the SPS Transmission System

Xcel Energy is the sixth largest investor-owned transmission system with more than 18,600 miles of electric transmission lines in 10 states.

The local planning process conducted by SPS includes one or more annual open planning meetings that allow interested parties, including, but not limited to SPP or Xcel Energy transmission service customers, sponsors of transmission solutions, generation solutions and solutions utilizing demand response, interconnected transmission providers, state and local regulatory bodies and other stakeholders input into and participation in all stages of development of the SPS local transmission plan.

SPS encourages SPS transmission customers to participate in both the SPS local planning process and the SPP STEP regional process.

The SPS transmission planning region is limited to SPS’s electrical system boundary.

The procedures for requesting a new load point interconnection to the SPS transmission system are provided below. For reference, please review the Transmission Interconnection Guidelines.

To constitute a valid request, the request must contain the following:

1. Desired in-service date of interconnection
2. Location of desired interconnection, which may include GPS coordinates, distances from known landmarks, distances from known transmission or distribution facilities in SPS area. The request must contain a defined point of interconnection, not just express a concept for an interconnection.
3. Proposed MW load addition, over a 10-year period, with an initial load and forecast for the 10-year forward-looking period. Reactive power load will be assumed to be at 98 percent per the interconnection guidelines. If load is being shifted from other delivery points, adjusted forecasts for those delivery points must also be provided.
4. Any special requirements, such as redundant transmission service, sensitive loads, special motor starting, any special process consideration.
5. SPS contact for request. If request is a wholesale Xcel Energy or SPP delivery point request, contact Annette Gallegos below. If it is a large retail general service request, the contact should be one of the SPS key account representatives.
6. Drawing of proposed point of interconnection. This may be a sketch that was converted to a PDF file, or a CAD drawing (AutoCAD or MicroStation only). Please show on the drawing the physical location of the customer needing service as well as the desired point of interconnection, should they be different.

For matters concerning the Transmission Planning Process of the Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS) and Attachment R-SPS to the Xcel Energy Open Access Transmission Tariff (Joint OATT), SPS identifies the following Points of Contact:

For questions regarding transmission planning modeling, criteria, assumptions and data underlying system plans:

John S. Fulton
Manager, Transmission Reliability and Assessment
600 South Tyler
P.O. Box 1261
Amarillo, TX 79101
806-378-2193
John.Fulton@xcelenergy.com

For questions regarding customer data submittals, and XE OATT issues:

Annette Gallegos
Principal Transmission Representative
6086 West 48th Street
Amarillo, TX 79109
806-640-6302
Annette.Gallegos@xcelenergy.com

Skip Black
Associate Transmission Representative
6086 West 48th Street
Amarillo, TX 79109
806-640-6340
Skip.Larry.Black@xcelenergy.com

For questions regarding XE regulatory or procedural issues, or to have your name added to the Distribution List for SPS communications regarding Attachment R transmission planning:

James Bagley
Manager, Regulatory Administration
Xcel Energy Services, Inc.
600 South Tyler
P.O. Box 1261
Amarillo, TX 79101
806-378-2868
James.Bagley@xcelenergy.com

To download any file from this page, double click on any hyperlinked document in the last section of this page.  All files can be viewed using Acrobat Reader.  Note the large files may have long download times.