Helping to Protect Reliability

Extreme conditions, caused by weather or other events, can put a severe strain on the energy grid and available power supplies.

That's why we have detailed plans for managing the grid through all types of conditions, from the intense heat of summer to the frigid cold of winter. We use historical data, real-time analysis and predictive modeling, advanced technologies and years of operational experience, to help reliably meet customer energy needs.

During periods of unusually high demand, you can help by conserving energy.

What you can do during sustained periods of temperature extremes

We always want to avoid a circumstance where energy demand exceeds supply, which can force system operators to take immediate actions to prevent damage to the grid. To avoid scenarios that require emergency measures, we work throughout the year to improve our electric grid and to prepare for weather conditions that are outside the norm.

Energy conservation can play a vital role in helping by lowering energy use during times of unusually high demand.

Tips for Homes:

• During winter months, select the lowest comfortable thermostat setting and bump it down several degrees whenever possible – particularly when demand is highest in the early morning hours. During summer's midday peaks, select the highest comfortable setting.
• Avoid using large appliances – this means appliances with a three-pronged plug, such as dishwashers, ovens and dryers – during high-demand periods like early winter mornings and late afternoon summers.
• Shift non-essential activities, like laundry, to late evening hours in the winter and early mornings in the summer, when power demand is lower.
• If you have an electric water heater, limit the use of hot water as much as possible during those early winter mornings and summer afternoons when customer demand tends to spike.
• Avoid using high-demand electric space heaters in early morning hours, and use later in the day only as a means to heat small spaces.

Tips for Businesses:

• Turn off any equipment, electronics or lighting not necessary for daily operations.
• Lower the temperature on the thermostat(s) by a degree or two. Facilities with building automation systems can quickly and easily make these adjustments.
• Consider allowing staff to work remotely when feasible to minimize usage at the office or facility.
• Avoid using energy-intensive processes at the same time, where possible.
• For those with battery storage or other forms of back-up generation, consider activating to reduce load during the high peak periods, particularly in the morning hours.

What we're doing everyday

Here are some of the ways we're working throughout the year to help protect the energy grid and to provide the reliability you count on:

• Regular Testing: We test our system against a variety of possible scenarios, incorporating best practices and lessons learned from both our own teams and peer utilities.
• Continuous Tracking and Monitoring: We have dedicated teams of meteorologists who track weather conditions and system operators who monitor the electric grid system 24/7.
• Grid Strengthening and Hardening: We have made significant improvements to our energy system to better withstand a variety of threats, from extreme weather to cyberattacks. Our increasingly climate-resilient grid is smarter, stronger and prepared for the sustainable growth of cleaner energy options and distributed resources.
• Preventive Maintenance: We regularly maintain our generating plants, including the use of freeze protections for sensitive equipment.
• Flood Mitigation: We are taking steps to help protect critical infrastructure from the threat of flooding, including improved flood mitigation barriers around substations and, in some instances, raising or relocating essential systems.

The resiliency of a regulated utility

As a regulated utility, we are required to meet reliability standards through comprehensive long-term planning and adequate power reserves. This planning helps drive strategic improvements in our generating fleet and power delivery infrastructure. This also helps us identify and address potential reliability risks before they occur, while keeping rates as low as possible – all so we can reliably serve customers today and in the future.

A fundamental part of our plan is our diverse energy mix. Solar, wind and energy storage are each an essential part of a cleaner energy future, but we also continue to rely on nuclear power, natural gas, oil, coal and hydro generation. This diverse mix provides the flexibility and adaptability to quickly dispatch reliable, affordable energy in a variety of challenging circumstances. In addition to energy supply, we can also manage energy demand during extreme events through our voluntary demand response programs and grid optimization measures.

Our system is also interconnected to other utilities in surrounding states. These connection points give us the ability to purchase additional electricity from other utilities outside of the region, if needed.