Southwest Power Pool instructs LP&L, member utilities, to initiate controlled outages to maintain sy

(LUBBOCK, Texas) — As extreme cold weather persists across the 14-state Southwest Power Pool (SPP) balancing authority area, electricity use has exceeded available generation. SPP declared an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 3 on the morning of February 16, when it was forced to begin relying on required reserve energy. After exhausting usage of available reserve energy, SPP has now directed LP&L and all member utilities to implement controlled rotating outages effective immediately to prevent further, more widespread and uncontrolled outages.

SPP has instructed LP&L and other member utilities to reduce electricity demand by an amount needed to prevent further uncontrolled outages. LP&L customers can anticipate controlled rotating outages lasting from 15-45 minutes. These outages will affect customers across the city at various points in time until the alert has been removed by SPP. Customers may experience multiple outages. LP&L will provide additional updates as the situation evolves.

“We understand this is difficult for our customers and ask for patience as we follow the requirements outlined by our grid operator to help ensure reliability and stability for the entire region,” said David McCalla, Executive Director for LP&L. “We want to minimize disruption as much as possible. The actions we take now can help prevent the possibility of longer, uncontrolled outages as this weather continues.”

While SPP and member utilities work to restore the regional power grid to full capacity, customers are urged to reduce electricity use, both at home and work:

Set thermostats to 68 degrees or lower.
Suspend use of electrical appliances (dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers, vacuum cleaners, etc.)
Put off tasks at work, if possible, that would demand electricity (power tools, maintenance equipment, etc.).
Turn off televisions and electronic equipment unless they are necessary to conduct business or to ensure your health and safety.
Turn off unnecessary lighting, leaving on only enough to move about safely indoors.

The City of Lubbock began taking conservation actions with city-owned building once SPP elevated the emergency declaration late this morning.

SPP declared a period of conservative operations for our entire balancing authority area at midnight central time on Feb. 9. The declaration of conservative operations signaled to member utilities they should operate conservatively to mitigate the risk of worsening conditions. On Feb. 14, SPP declared an EEA Level 1 effective at 5:00 am central time on Monday, Feb. 15. An EEA1 signals that SPP foresees or is experiencing conditions where all available resources are scheduled to meet firm load obligations and that SPP may be unable to sustain its required contingency reserves. Subsequently on Feb. 15 at 7:22 a.m. SPP declared an EEA Level 2, which required SPP to direct member utilities to issue public conservation appeals.

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