fgazette.com Community news site for Union Parish Louisiana
At last week’s Commission meeting, I asked how
much our jurisdictional utility, SWEPCO, pays to be a
member of the Southwest Power Pool (“SPP”), one of
two Regional Transmission Organizations (“RTOs) doing
business in our state, but the SPP representatives in
attendance were not able to answer that question. I have
since found the answer — $14 million per year. I have
also found out that our other Louisiana utilities – Entergy
Louisiana, Entergy New Orleans and CLECO – as
well as Louisiana co-ops and municipalities, jointly pay
the other RTO, the Midcontinent Independent System
Operator (“MISO”) about $48 million per year.
The RTOs see fit to spend our ratepayers’ money
on exorbitant salaries, lavish corporate offices, and expensive
travel. According to its most recent tax filing
(2023), SPP paid its President and Chief Executive Officer
$2.5 million in compensation and benefits, while it
paid its Chief Operating Officer $1.5 million in compensation
and benefits. SPP’s 19 other executives were paid
a range of $968 thousand to $290 thousand per year in
compensation and benefits. SPP also has a board of directors
that meets approximately 5 times a year. SPP
pays the nine board members a range of $181 thousand
to $121 thousand per year for what SPP estimates to be 5
hours of work per week. That is a rate of $724 per hour,
or $36,000 per meeting, for its most highly compensated
board member.