On August 31, 2022, the Western Power Pool (WPP) filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve the Western Resource Adequacy Program (WRAP).[1] The WRAP is the region's first region-wide reliability planning and compliance program. Southwest Power Pool (SPP) will be the program operator, providing technical support. So far, 26 utilities from the northwest, parts of the desert southwest, Canada, and northern California have joined the non-binding program. These utilities include Avangrid, NVEnergy, PacifiCorp, and Portland General Electric. Together, these utilities have a 72,000 MW summertime peak load across ten states and one Canadian province. Participants can enter the binding program starting in Summer 2025.

The WRAP will set a regional reliability metric and use a consistent approach for accounting resources. Participants must show they have brought their “fair share” of regional capacity for the upcoming season seven months in advance. The program also includes a real-time component to be used during critical conditions. Through this, participants with excess capacity, based on near-term conditions, will share resources with those with a deficit. WPP hopes that FERC will give its approval by the end of 2022.

[1] https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/western-power-pool-marks-major-milestone-files-wra