URGENT: SWEPCO issues emergency appeal to conserve energy

Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO), acting upon a request of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), is asking all customers to conserve electricity for 48 hours beginning at 12:01 a.m. Monday as extreme cold grips the region.

The SPP, the regional organization that manages the electric grid across 17 central and western US states, reports a high demand for electricity that is expected to increase over the next several days because of persistent, widespread and extreme cold.

Steps to reduce electricity use include:

• Turn down the thermostat 2 to 3 degrees, especially overnight. (Consider wearing additional layers of clothing to remain comfortable.)
• Set programmable thermostats to lower temperatures when no one is home.
• Limit use of large appliances (i.e., dishwasher, washer, dryer, etc.)
• Avoid using unnecessary lighting and other electrical devices.
• Open curtains on the sunny side of the house to warm up your home. If there’s no sun, close the shades to keep warm air inside.
• SWEPCO asks its customers to take whatever measures they can to limit the use of electricity, so that no further actions are necessary. Customers’ combined efforts can reduce overall demand for electricity and help ease the situation.

SWEPCO will provide updates through the news media, on SWEPCO.com, and on the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

SWEPCO customers in East Texas and the Panhandle also may hear advisories from neighboring grid operator Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which serves much of the rest of the state. SWEPCO is not part of ERCOT. SWEPCO is part of SPP, which is a separate regional reliability grid.

SPP is a regional transmission organization: a not-for-profit corporation mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure and competitive wholesale electricity prices on behalf of its members. 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. Learn more at SPP.org.