Southwest Power Pool issues Energy Emergency Alert 1 due to extreme cold
Updated at 8:20 p.m., Dec. 23, 2022: SPP continues to operate under a Conservative Operations Advisory after ending an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 1 that was in effect for the entire SPP Balancing Authority (BA) footprint in the Eastern Interconnection from 5:20 p.m. CT to 8:20 p.m., Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – Dec. 23, 2022 – The effects of widespread and extreme cold have led to tightening electric reliability conditions in Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) service territory. We have issued an Energy Emergency Alert Level 1 (EEA1) effective Dec. 23, 5:20 pm CT until further notice. The declaration is due to higher-than-forecast load and generator availability as we head into our evening peak.
The declaration of an EEA1 does not require conservation of energy and does not indicate that SPP will be directing controlled service outages. Instead, an EEA1 is an indication that while SPP has enough generation available to meet demand and fulfill its reserve obligations, conditions exist that could put reserves at risk if they worsen.
End-use customers in the SPP region should follow their local utilities’ instructions regarding the potential for outages, the need to conserve electricity or natural gas, and other steps to ensure their safety and the integrity of the regional grid.
An EEA1 is the first of three levels of energy emergency alert. An EEA2 would be triggered if SPP could no longer meet expected energy reserve requirements, or if SPP foresaw or had taken actions up to but excluding the interruption of firm load obligations.
SPP is coordinating closely with our members and market participants and will continue to monitor the situation as extreme cold persists throughout the region.
Visit spp.org/grid-conditions and follow @spporg on Twitter for the latest updates.