Southwest Power Pool, which manages the power grid and wholesale energy market of 14 central states, he said Monday which directed its members to initiate controlled power outages.
The state of play: SPP will implement “controlled service outages” to prevent uncontrolled power outages as states in the region face an aggressive winter storm.
- The company issued a level 3 energy emergency alert, which means “your operating reserves are below the required minimum.”
- SPP specified that while it told its members ’utilities to reduce energy use, those members will manage whether the outages are scheduled or not.
- SPP operates the power grid in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
What they say: “After exhausting the use of available reserve energy, SPP has subsequently directed its member utilities to implement controlled service outages to prevent further more widespread and uncontrolled outages,” SPP said in a statement.
- “In our history as a network operator, this is an unprecedented event and marks the first time SPP has had to request controlled service interruptions,” said Lanny Nickel, SPP’s executive vice president.
It is necessary to emphasize: More than 2 million people in Texas no longer have electricity as they face single-digit temperatures and sub-zero wind cooling.
Zoom out: At least 400,000 homes, businesses and other customers lost power in Mexico as cold Texas temperatures caused natural gas shortages and left power plants offline.
- According to the network operator, approximately 70% of those affected recovered their energy by noon. Prices.