The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order to boost generation resources and reliability maintenance in 17 states in order to ensure power during extreme heat.
The order directs Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP), a regional transmission organization with operations in 17 states, to provide generation units and necessary services to maintain grid reliability.
States within SPP's range of operations include Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, Minnesota and Utah.
The SPP previously issued an Energy Emergency Alert 2 on July 24, which means that grid conditions are leaning towards unstable conditions, with SPP committing all available generation, and is prepared to direct controlled service outages to protect the power grid during times of high consumer demand and supply.
The emergency alert has since ended and conditions are stable, however, a Conservative Operations Advisory is in place until Saturday, Aug. 1. This means that the public isn't required to conserve energy but consumers should be aware of potential threats to reliability.
Extreme heat can affect the reliability of the power grid because consumer demand increases, as residences and other buildings require more air conditioning and push the power grid to its limit.
When the grid reaches capacity for energy transmission, it grows unstable and can result in power outages or expansive blackouts. Some utility services may even initiate rolling blackouts, intentionally interrupting power, in order to protect energy reserves and prevent grid failure.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Is Louisiana under emergency order? What to know about energy concerns