A declared emergency due to scarce energy resources in the region has been raised another level, to Level 2. It includes a renewed call for all industrial, commercial and residential Public Power customers across Oklahoma to conserve as much electricity and natural gas as they can for at least the next 48 hours.
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the Regional Transmission Operator for the region, had previously issued an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 1, which meant that SPP was experiencing conditions where all available resources were needed. In Level 2, an official appeal to public conservation is made. This is an attempt to avoid Level 3, which would mean SPP would be energy deficient and could implement controlled service interruptions on a temporary basis.
Customers are asked to take these conservation requests seriously. They can take the following steps to conserve energy and natural gas:
- Set thermostats lower than usual, if health permits
- Postpone using major electric appliances such as stoves, dishwashers, and clothes dryers until the demand for electricity decreases
- Turn off electric lights and appliances that you do not need or are not using, and
- Keep doors, windows and blinds shut to retain heat in houses
Energy emergency alerts are due to a number of factors resulting from widespread, long-lasting and extreme cold weather. These factors include, but are not limited to, high electricity use across the entire SPP system, inadequate supply and high prices of natural gas, and low supply of wind generation and wind-forecast uncertainty.
