SWEPCO: Controlled Power Outages

SWEPCO has prepared a Fact Sheet (SEE DOCUMENT BELOW) to better explain the recent Controlled Outages (Rolling Blackouts) ordered by our regional grid operator, Southwest Power Pool (SPP).

This was an extraordinary event, ordered to protect the integrity of the grid and eliminating larger long term outages. Our grid includes 14 states and stretches from Louisiana to the Canadian Border. Correct management of our grid eliminated the issues we are seeing our neighbors in Texas experience with their in-state grid managed by ERCOT. SWEPCO’s Texas Service Areas in Texas are part of the SPP Grid and excluded from ERCOT.

FAST FACTS

An Overview of the SPP System

SPP has members in 14 states: Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming.

SPP also provides contract reliability coordination services in Arizona, Colorado and Utah.

Service territory: 546,000 square miles (approx.) (2020)
Substations: 5,054 (2020)
Generation plants: 818 (in 2020 reliability coordination footprint)
Miles of transmission: 68,272 (2020)
Coincident peak load: 50,662 MW (Aug. 19, 2019)
Winter peak load: 43,584 MW (Jan. 17, 2018)
Generating capacity: 90,466 MW (based on nameplate capacity as of Jan. 10, 2020)
40.9% natural gas
26% coal
24.9% wind
3.8% hydro
2.3% nuclear
1.7% fuel oil
0.2% solar
0.1% other
Energy production by fuel type:
34.8% coal
27.4% wind
25.9% natural gas
6% nuclear
5.6% hydro
0.2% solar
0.1% other


To report an issue or typo with this article – CLICK HERE

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *