After directing its member utilities to implement controlled interruptions of service shortly after noon on Feb. 15, Southwest Power Pool has restored load to its 14-state region as of 2 p.m. Central U.S. time. The grid operator now has enough generation available to meet demand throughout the service territory and to fully meet its minimum reserve requirements.
The SPP system reached a peak electricity usage of 43,661 MW on Feb. 15 and is required to carry additional operating reserves in excess of load. After committing all of its reserves and exhausting other avenues such as importing power from other regions, available generation in SPP fell about 641 MW short of demand for a period beginning just after noon. In response, SPP directed its member utilities to implement planned interruptions of service to curtail electricity use by that amount.
Effective as of 2 p.m., SPP canceled the Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 3 it had declared at 10:08 a.m. when its reserves were exhausted, and re-entered an EEA Level 2 and 3 over the next 48 hours and may have to direct further interruptions of service available generation to meet high demand.
While SPP and its member companies work to maintain regional reliability, they urge consumers across the service territory to conserve electricity at home and at work, and to follow their local utility's directions regarding safety, conservation and potential outages.
SPP manages the electric grid across 17 central and western U.S. states and provides energy services on a contract basis to customers in both the Eastern and Western Interconnections. The company’s headquarters are in Little Rock, Arkansas.
