Kansas regulators are warning of “unbelievable” load growth and blackout risks. (Kansas Reflector)
Projections show electricity load growth in the state surging as high as 99% by 2035. Without massive intervention, SPP estimates the region could face 114 days of load shedding annually by 2034—far exceeding the standard of 1 day per decade.
A key part of the immediate solution—a 133-mile transmission line through 4 counties—is meeting heavy resistance from landowners, who argue the project will "carve a scar" across the state and imperil lucrative wind leases.
Beyond transmission: Regulators warn that without generation to match the soaring demand, SPP's reserve margin will plummet from 20.7% today to -1.6% by 2030.