Preparing for the Winter Season
In the Upper Midwest, we’re used to harsh winters. And at Union County Electric Cooperative, we’re prepared to face whatever the season has in store for us: ice, snow, wind, or frigid temperatures. We’re here for you through it all to provide you with reliable power at an affordable price. That doesn’t mean we won’t face challenges – but your electric cooperative prepares for harsh weather in several ways to make sure we have the highest reliability possible.
To enhance energy security and resilience, a diverse mix of energy sources is essential. We often refer to this as an “all-of-the-above” generation strategy. Our generation mix includes a combination of coal, natural gas, wind, hydropower, and soon solar energy. Dispatchable generation that can be turned on when needed includes coal, natural gas and hydropower. Non-dispatchable, or intermittent, resources like wind and solar are only available when the wind is blowing, or the sun is shining.
Your cooperative is connected to large power suppliers like East River Electric Power Cooperative, Basin Electric Power Cooperative and the Western Area Power Administration. Those entities are part of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) – a regional transmission organization responsible for balancing the grid in our region. SPP officials have analyzed the probability of energy shortfalls this winter and have concluded that there is little chance of energy shortfalls.
“There were no region-wide concerns identified that we are not capable of resolving,” said SPP Senior Vice President of Operations Bruce Rew during a recent winter preparedness and emergency communications meeting hosted by SPP. “We are, however, continually performing studies to assess system changes and to develop ways to mitigate problems should any study indicate the potential for those to occur.”
According to SPP, the operations analysts who have studied grid conditions for this upcoming winter season say with 98.5 percent certainty that the region will have enough energy available to meet demand under normal, expected winter conditions, and even with a 5 percent increase in electricity demand SPP will have a 97% chance of having sufficient generation to serve consumers. That means while there is still a chance that extreme weather conditions could cause concern, the probability is very low that we could experience power interruptions this winter because of a lack of generation capacity.
Your electric cooperative network has also taken steps to prepare for extreme weather conditions by investing in its electric distribution system, putting an ever-increasing number of miles of line underground, designing a well-connected transmission system so energy can be efficiently transported reliably, and making sure we have an all-of-the-above generation strategy that doesn’t rely on just one type of generation technology. We’ve also installed technologies throughout the system that can detect problems, an energy management system that can reduce energy usage during peak times, and we winterize our equipment so it holds up even in the harshest conditions.
Although the chances of power interruptions this winter are minimal, we are very concerned about the future of generation assets on the grid. The retirement of a number of dispatchable generation units across the country, combined with rising energy demand as sectors of the economy are increasingly electrified, will impact the reliability of the grid. The potential for federal regulatory mandates could force electric cooperatives to close coal or natural gas plants, which will certainly have a negative impact on the reliability of the power grid. Some parts of the country are predicting dire circumstances this winter because fewer coal and natural gas plants will be generating electricity. We are working with our lawmakers and regulatory officials to stem the tide of premature retirement of these assets because a reliable and resilient energy generation system is vital to meet the heightened demand during the winter season.
We will continue to use and advocate for a diverse energy mix, upgrade infrastructure when needed, and implement winterization measures. As always, your cooperative is working to keep your power reliable and affordable while we maintain a robust energy delivery system that ensures a stable and secure energy supply throughout the winter months and beyond.
Until next month, stay safe and God bless.