Federal energy regulators are facing a new legal challenge over their approval of a regional grid operator’s plan that environmental groups warn prioritizes fossil fuel connections to the electrical grid.
At issue is the Southwest Power Pool’s updated approach to ensuring reliable electricity access across the 14 central and Western states in which it operates.
In 2024, SPP advanced a new capacity accreditation proposal to account for how having a larger percentage of renewable energy sources like wind, solar and battery storage shifted grid reliability.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the changes in July, rejecting criticism from Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The groups filed their lawsuit against FERC in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Monday.
