Feb 16, 2021 | Latest News
This week’s extreme cold temperatures led to historic levels of energy demand on the U.S. power grid resulting in widespread rolling unplanned power outages throughout much of the central portion of the country. The rolling power outages in this region were linked to the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) service area.
SPP is a regional transmission organization that acts as a balancing authority for a 14-state region, meaning SPP balances electricity production and use for that entire area. This is why energy conservation in one place, for example South Dakota, can have a meaningful impact on electric reliability in another, like the panhandle of Texas.
Several wholesale power suppliers in our region are participants and transmission owners in SPP, which means that consumers from multiple utilities—including investor-owned utilities, municipals and electric cooperatives—across our region were affected by the event.
Stress on the SPP system began on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 14 when SPP initiated its tiered Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) system. The alert started at EEA Level 1 on the evening of Feb. 14, which meant that the region’s consumers were asked to conserve energy to help reduce the demands on the power grid and prevent extensive and unplanned outages.
On the morning of Monday, Feb. 15, the extreme cold temperatures continued causing excessive demands for electricity throughout SPP’s footprint. At that time, SPP cycled their alert system between EEA Level 2 and up to EEA Level 3, which meant that there wasn’t enough generation available to meet the demand for electricity. The enhanced alerts on Feb. 15 did not result in outages in our region, but they did bring outages to other parts of SPP’s footprint.
On the morning of Feb. 16, SPP again cycled to EEA Level 3 due to lack of generation to meet demand for electricity in their footprint. Through that Level 3 alert, this region’s system operator, the Western Area Power Administration, was forced to shut off power to various parts of the grid. This resulted in rolling power outages in the service areas of multiple utilities across portions of South Dakota and Minnesota as well as through the entire SPP service area. SPP returned to EEA Level 1 around 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 16. However, they expect continued excessive electricity demand and generation shortfalls through Wednesday, Feb. 17, and caution that their system may need to return to Level 3 at any point.
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Chairman Chris Nelson joined South Dakota power providers to urge conservancy. “Unfortunately, electricity demand on the grid has outstripped supply in some areas causing unplanned outages,” said the PUC’s Nelson. “These outages are necessary to keep from compromising the entire grid. I continue to encourage South Dakotans to limit their use of electricity wherever possible so that we can restore normal operations as quickly as possible.”
Consumers can do their part by conserving the use of electricity. Tips to conserve energy include turning your thermostat down a few degrees, delaying the use of large appliances and turning off unnecessary lights. Please contact your local electric cooperative for additional ways to conserve energy.
Feb 16, 2021 | Latest News
Sioux Falls, SD – Feb. 16, 2021 – Energy grid operators are ordering utilities to implement unplanned power outages to keep the grid stable in this emergency created by widespread frigid temperatures.
Customers may experience outages for up to an hour throughout the day without notice.
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Chairman Chris Nelson joined South Dakota power providers to urge conservancy. “Unfortunately electricity demand on the grid has outstripped supply in some areas causing unplanned outages,” said the PUC’s Nelson. “These outages are necessary to keep from compromising the entire grid. I continue to encourage South Dakotans to limit their use of electricity wherever possible so that we can restore normal operations as quickly as possible.”
The rolling blackouts are needed to prevent further, more widespread and uncontrolled outages. This is an emergency situation is quickly changing. Please do your part of conserve energy.
Media Contacts:
NorthWestern Energy, Jo Dee Black, 866-622-8081, jodee.black@northwestern.com
East River Electric Power Cooperative, Chris Studer, 605-256-8016, cstuder@eastriver.coop
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, Leah Mohr, 605-773-3201 or 605-280-4327, leah.mohr@state.sd.us
Feb 16, 2021 | Latest News
Due to the current widespread and extreme cold weather conditions, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) declared an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 3 this morning, which means that generating capacity has dropped below demand for electricity. Due to the emergency alert, East River Electric is expecting outages of up to an hour that will be on a rolling basis this morning. This is an emergency, quickly changing situation. This is a regionwide event, meaning consumers of multiple utilities are affected.
The following is a listing of updated impacts to East River’s system for Feb. 16:
6:54 a.m.: The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), which is the Transmission Operator for our region, was directed by SPP to take an outage of about 200 megawatts.
6:57 a.m.: WAPA de-energized substations in parts of western Minnesota impacting about 2,000 members of Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative and City of Tyler customers.
7:00 a.m.: WAPA de-energized substations serving Southeastern Electric customers in the Viborg, Hurley and Menno areas impacting about 2,200 consumers in that area.
7:28 a.m.: WAPA directed by SPP to de-energize another 200 megawatts, so they de-energized substations serving Sioux Valley Energy members on the east side of Sioux Falls, including Brandon – totaling about 6,300 consumers.
7:52 a.m.: WAPA restored power to the substations served from Fodness.
7:54 a.m.: Substations near the Redfield, Cresbard and Mansfield areas de-energized, affecting about 1,400 FEM Electric and Northern Electric consumers. WAPA restored power to substations in the Viborg, Hurley and Menno areas to Southeastern Electric consumers.
8:12 a.m.: WAPA restored power on the Ivanhoe substation serving Lyon-Lincoln Electric and opened breaker at Watertown, affecting 4 substations and about 1,400 Codington-Clark customers.
8:41 a.m.: WAPA restored power to the Maple Street substation in the Sioux Falls area.
9:10 a.m.: WAPA opened Letcher breakers affecting the Roswell substation in Central Electric’s area and restored power to the remaining 6 substations serving Sioux Falls.
9:45 a.m.: WAPA restored power to substations in the Redfield area affecting Northern Electric consumers.
10 a.m.: All power to the Watertown area restored by WAPA. The only outage currently on East River’s system is in the Roswell area affecting Central Electric.
10:30 a.m.: All power restored to East River’s service area.
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We will continue to provide updates as they are available.
Feb 16, 2021 | Latest News
EMERGENCY POWER OUTAGE UPDATE
Due to the current widespread and extreme cold weather conditions, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) declared an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 3 this morning, which means that generating capacity has dropped below demand for electricity. This is currently resulting in rolling outages across East River Electric’s service area. This is a regionwide event, meaning consumers of multiple utilities are affected. SPP is a regional transmission organization that oversees the bulk electric grid and wholesale power market in the central United States on behalf of a diverse group of utilities and transmission companies in 17 states. East River Electric Power Cooperative is a transmission owner in SPP, which means that all cooperative consumers in our region are affected by this event.
Due to the emergency alert, East River Electric is expecting outages of up to an hour that will be on a rolling basis this morning. This is an emergency, quickly changing situation.
The following is a listing of impacts that have occurred so far on East River’s system: The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), which is the Transmission Operator for our region, was directed by SPP to take an outage at 7:00 a.m. this morning of about 200 megawatts. WAPA de-energized substations in parts of western Minnesota impacting about 2,000 members of Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative and City of Tyler customers. Around the same time, WAPA also de-energized substations serving Southeastern Electric customers in the Viborg, Hurley and Menno areas impacting about 2,200 consumers in that area. Then at 7:30 a.m., WAPA was directed by SPP to de-energize another 200 megawatts, so they de-energized substations serving Sioux Valley Energy members on the east side of Sioux Falls – totaling about 5,700 consumers.
Substations near the Redfield, Cresbard and Mansfield areas were de-energized just before 8:00 a.m. affecting FEM Electric and Northern Electric consumers. The Viborg, Hurley and Menno areas were back on before 8:00 a.m.
The region’s utilities will continue to provide updates as they are available.
Jan 26, 2021 | Community
East River employees volunteered their time and talents to help serve 175 meals at the monthly Gathering Meal at the Madison United Methodist Church. Due to COVID-19, a smaller group of employees assisted with preparing, serving and cleaning up after the meal. This is a great chance for our employees to give back and live out the 7th cooperative principle of commitment to community. Thank you to everyone who volunteered at this event!
