LPPC @LPPCorg

According to a recent survey, LPPC member utilities collectively reported ~50GW of committed, speculative, or early-stage load in their interconnection queues. 18+GW of this load accounts for AI/Data Center interconnections, which equates to over a third of all U.S. AI/Data Center capacity in the next five years. As echoed in the President's Ratepayer Protection Pledge, hyperscalers and AI companies must pay the full cost of the energy and infrastructure needed to serve them, "no matter what." LPPC member utilities are employing a variety of customer-protective mechanisms and both approved tariffs and contract-based structures across mutiple states to ensure that growth pays for growth. Learn more in LPPC's recent Large Load Projects & Tariffs report: cdn.prod.website-files.com/69d01496278ffd… #publicpower #publicpoweron #largeload #FERC @FERC @ENERGY

Member Spotlight | Recently, the @SEPAPower announced the winners of its 2026 Power Player Awards. SEPA presented CEO & General Manager Paul Lau of @SMUDUpdates with its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award, and @cpsenergy with the Growth Player of the Year Award.  SEPA recognized Paul's 45+ years of service at SMUD and his exceptional contributions to the energy industry, public power, and the communities he serves. His leadership and steadfast dedication to decarbonization, reliability, affordability, and customer service will continue to influence his colleagues and the industry at large for years to come. Congratulations to CPS Energy on being recognized for successfully acquiring 1,632 MW of natural gas generation to meet San Antonio's growing energy demand. By adding these dual-fuel dispatchable resources to their generation mix, CPS Energy projects saving an estimated $2 billion over the lifecycle of these plants, while avoiding inflationary costs and supply chain risks. Learn more: sepapower.org/power-player-a… #publicpower #publicpoweron #SEPA #powerplayerawards

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Recently, LPPC CEOs convened in Nashville, Tennessee for their Spring meeting. Critical discussions focused on cyber and physical security for critical infrastructure, advanced nuclear technologies, and managing AI & data center load growth. CEOs heard from Marcus Nichol, Vice President of Nuclear Deployment and Fuel Cycle at @NEI, and @RepChuck, Chairman of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, on the state of Gen III+ small modular reactor technology, supporting legislation, and federal investment in advanced nuclear generation. They were also briefed by Liz Martin of @DragosInc and Sezaneh Seymour, Vice President & Head of Regulatory Risk and Policy at @CoalitionSec on current cyber and operational security threats, along with tactics to strengthen defenses and reduce vulnerabilities. LPPC thanks @NESpower, and its President & CEO @tbroylesaplin for hosting our CEOs and senior leaders. Together, we look forward to applying these insights to maintain reliability and affordability for LPPC members' 30.5+ million customers across the country. #publicpower #publicpoweron #advancednuclear #cybersecurity #largeload #AI #datacenter

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Member Update: Last week the @NPPDnews was awarded ~$28 million in federal cost-shared funding from @ENERGY as part of a larger federal investment to deploy advanced light-water small modular reactors (SMRs) in the U.S. The award will support NPPD's efforts in obtaining an @NRCgov early-siting permit for a location in Nebraska for future deployment of Gen III+ SMRs.  For the last 50+ years, NPPD has owned and operated the Cooper Nuclear Station in Brownsville, Nebraska, which has a net capacity of ~800 MW and employs over 680 Nebraskans. In a recent LPPC survey from our newly formed Nuclear Subcommittee, members reported owning over 6,200 MW of nuclear generation capacity with several members exploring the technology to meet load growth, electrification, and decarbonization goals.  Learn more here: energy.gov/articles/energ…

LPPC President @EnergyFalcone and President/CEO Jimmy Staton of @santeecooper joined Dan Hartman of PFM, Mark Widener of Mesa Power Solutions, and William Oh of @moodysratings at the @TheBondBuyer's Southeast Public Finance Conference. The panel discussed how AI and data center growth are reshaping electric infrastructure and utility finance. With investors, rating analysts, and the broader public finance community in the room, the core issue was clear: growth has to pay for growth. Public power utilities can support AI, data centers, and economic development, but not by shifting costs and risks to existing customers. That requires reforms to @USTreasury's private use rules, disciplined planning, credible load forecasts, real customer commitments, and infrastructure investment grounded in reliability and affordability. #publicpoweron #AI #datacenters #loadgrowth #publicfinance

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As Chairman of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee in the House, I was pleased to join @LPPCorg CEOs from all across the nation’s largest public power utilities here in Nashville. Advanced nuclear and other firm generation technologies play a critical role in strengthening American energy reliability, affordability, security, and innovation. I look forward to continuing to work with LPPC and public power leaders to advance reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions for the more than 30 million customers they serve.

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Lee Montañez, Director of Internal Audit & Enterprise Risk at @NewsfromJEA and Vice Chair of LPPC’s Auditors Network, joined LPPC President @EnergyFalcone to discuss the role audit, risk management, and insurance professionals play in public power. The conversation covered rising demand from data centers and AI, event risks, reliability, affordability, and how these professionals help utility leaders identify and manage risk in an increasingly complex operating environment. Listen to the full interview: youtube.com/watch?v=ZFo0q4… #publicpower #publicpoweron #audit #riskmanagement #insurance

In the third installment of LPPC’s permitting reform video series, @JoleneMThompson, President and CEO of @amppublicpower, explains how duplicative federal review delayed four run-of-the-river hydropower projects on the Ohio River, adding costs for AMP member communities and their customers. AMP’s experience shows why #Congress should modernize #hydropower #permitting: better agency coordination, clearer timelines, and a more predictable licensing and relicensing process can help public power build and maintain reliable, renewable resources at the pace customers need. Learn more about LPPC’s hydro licensing and relicensing priorities and the reforms Congress can advance: cdn.prod.website-files.com/62856c3eeee424… #publicpower #publicpoweron #permittingreform

⚡️Member Spotlight | LPPC applauds the @IIDatWork on the announcement of a $36.7 million grid reliability investment, supported by an $18.3 million federal investment advanced by the Trump Administration. The project will deploy an Advanced Distribution Management System across IID’s distribution network, improving system visibility and reducing the frequency and duration of customer outages for IID’s 165,000+ customers in California’s Imperial and Coachella valleys. Read more: iid.com/Home/Component… #publicpower #publicpoweron #reliability #ADMS

@ElectriCitiesNC @BusinessNC Congratulations, Roy!

Fourteen years after it was first recommended, a critical Nebraska transmission project is finally moving forward. In 2012, an Integrated Transmission Plan from @SPPorg recommended that @NPPDnews build a 226-mile, 345 kV transmission line to connect part of central Nebraska to the rest of the Eastern Interconnection. After years of environmental reviews, revised routes, vacated permits, and court appeals, NPPD began construction this year. In the second installment of LPPC’s Permitting Reform video series, CEO and President Tom Kent explains why the R-Line project has become a clear example of how permitting delays affect electric reliability, affordability, and the customers public power utilities serve. #permittingreform #publicpower #publicpoweron #transmission

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | Congratulations to @cpsenergy on being recognized by the @ToSaveEnergy with a 2026 Star of Energy Efficiency Award! CPS Energy's Sustainable Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP) aggressively reduces system demand and carbon emissions while increasing energy savings and investing in weatherization for single- and multifamily homes in San Antonio. CPS made significant progress on its energy efficiency goals including a demand reduction of 252 MW saving ~$650 million of lifetime costs and 746,000 tons of carbon, which is equivalent to taking 590,000 gas-powered vehicles off the road. Learn more about CPS' STEP program goals and accomplishments here: lnkd.in/gTm6ckNH #publicpower #publicpoweron #energyefficiency #memberspotlight

We are excited to announce that @SarahVilms has joined LPPC as its Senior Director of Policy and External Affairs. In this role, Vilms will lead LPPC’s federal legislative and regulatory strategy, working with member utilities, staff, consultants, and external partners to advance policy priorities for the nation’s largest public power systems. “We are excited to welcome Sarah to LPPC,” said LPPC Board Chair Jackie Flowers, President & CEO of @MyTPU. “LPPC members are facing major decisions on reliability, affordability, infrastructure investment, and economic growth. Sarah understands federal policy, the needs of utilities, and the communities public power serves. She is an excellent fit to help ensure LPPC’s members and customers are represented effectively in Washington.”

In Episode 4 of Tom Talks, “Growth Should Pay for Growth: #LargeLoads & #Affordability,” LPPC President @EnergyFalcone explains why rate pressure driven by large load growth is inevitable when new infrastructure must be built to serve large retail customers. “Growth should pay for growth,” said Falcone. LPPC members are committed to the homes and businesses they serve. They are advancing fair cost allocation, long-term financial commitments, and private use reform so #publicpower utilities can implement rate designs that protect existing customers, mitigate risk, and support affordability. Thank you to the White House Chronicle and @LlewellynKing2 for having Tom on the show. Watch the full episode here: vimeo.com/1188085945 Or tune in on @PBS on Monday evenings.

Always a pleasure speaking with @LlewellynKing2. Thank you for having me on White House Chronicle to discuss what is driving electricity cost pressures, and how public power utilities are working to protect existing customers while meeting growing demand and investing in the grid.

Llewellyn King @LlewellynKing2

a month ago

Here is a summary of this week's episode of "White House Chronicle" on PBS, SiriusXM Radio and other broadcast outlets: Topic: The essentiality of electricity, and why its cost is rising Summary: Tom Falcone, president of the Large Public Power Council, speaks with Host

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As Congress considers #permitting legislation to strengthen #reliability, #affordability, and resource adequacy amid unprecedented load growth, LPPC is actively engaged on behalf of its 29 member utilities across the United States. In the first installment of LPPC’s Permitting Reform video series, Jimmy Staton, President and CEO of @santeecooper, shares how clearer federal permitting rules, firmer deadlines, and a more efficient appeals process can help accelerate the critical infrastructure needed to support reliable baseload generation. “We want everyone to have a fair say, but what slows down projects, makes them cost too much, and effectively kills them is the repeated appeals process. Throw it back, appeal it, throw it back, appeal again.” #permittingreform #publicpower #publicpoweron

LPPC President @EnergyFalcone testified before @HouseCommerce Chair @RepGuthrie and @boblatta and members of the Subcommittee on Energy at its hearing, “AI and the Grid: Meeting Growing Power Demand While Protecting Ratepayers.” LPPC’s message: build the infrastructure needed to support AI leadership and economic growth, while protecting existing customers from higher energy costs. Read the testimony: d1dth6e84htgma.cloudfront.net/04_29_2026_ENG… Watch the hearing: youtube.com/watch?v=bUXDIv… #publicpower #publicpoweron #largeloads #AI #DataCenters #resourceadequacy

WATCH LIVE: LPPC President @EnergyFalcone testifies before the @HouseCommerce Subcommittee on Energy hearing AI and the Grid: Meeting Growing Power Demand While Protecting Ratepayers. In his opening statement, Falcone explains how LPPC members are on the front lines of large load growth. "The issues before the Subcommittee are not theoretical for public power. LPPC members currently power more than 18 percent of the nation’s AI and data center load and account for approximately 36 percent of expected new data center interconnections over the next five years." #publicpower #ai #datacenter #largeload #housecommerce

In Episode 3 of Tom Talks, " @USTreasury's Private Use Rules: The Problem Explained," President @EnergyFalcone addresses how these regulations limit LPPC members’ ability to responsibly invest in the infrastructure needed to serve new large load customers, while protecting existing homes and businesses from rate increases.  "We're either going to get reforms of regulations from Treasury, or at some point our utilities are going to have to say - I'm sorry, we can't build for you." #publicpower #ustreasury #AI #DataCenter #privateuse