Regional electric grid operator warns electric partners in five western US states about increased demands
Happy Jack wind farm transmission lines at sunrise. Dawn, powerlines, wires, Wyoming, WY, green energy, renewable. (Duke Energy)
Editor's note: The original published version of this article said 14 states were impacted by the EEA 3. It has been updated to reflect the accurate number.
A U.S. electric grid operator issued an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3 (EEA 3) warning to its electric partners for five western states — Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico — due to the heat wave and increased electrical demand.
SPP issued the level three alert about 6 p.m. EDT Monday for its western territory and then a couple of hours later lowered the alert level.
Dig deeper:
An EEA 3 is issued to notify electric partners of the current grid conditions so they respond accordingly.
Big picture view:
The Southwest Power Poll (SPP) is a Regional Transmission Organization headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas and mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). SPP ensures there are reliable power supplies and manages the electic transmission infrastructure across a multistate territory.
Earlier this year, SPP expanded its territory into the Western Interconnection, integrating utilities across seven states including parts of Arizona, Colorado, and Utah.
The Source: This article includes information from Reuters and the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). This story was reported from Orlando.