Southwest Power Pool Inc. (SPP; Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.) has contracted with InfraSource and PowerWorld to conduct a strategic assessment regarding long-term reliability and economic needs via a 345-kV, 500-kV and 765-kV or higher voltage transmission system to overlay the SPP footprint. This assessment will investigate potential integration with neighboring systems to address future transmission needs and ensure an efficient and optimal transmission system. SPP encourages stakeholders to provide input in the form of questions or comments to EHVOverlay@spp.org.

InfraSource Services Inc. (Media, Pennsylvania, U.S.) has been involved in engineering, construction and procurement for recent extra-high-voltage projects, including Western Area Power Administration's 500-kV Path 15 solution in California. PowerWorld Corp. (Champaign, Illinois, U.S.) is partnering with InfraSource on the SPP project to provide technical support using PowerWorld's Simulator tool, which simulates high-voltage power system operation. The Simulator tool demonstrates issues surrounding electrical power flows in a transmission grid.