As a winter storm hits the Tri-State, utility officials are asking customers to conserve energy and prepare for the possibility of “planned outages.” WNIN’s John Gibson reports:
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which is CenterPoint Energy’s Indiana electric grid operator, has declared a conservation alert.
Officials say colder than normal temperatures and potential shortfalls in electric generation have led to CenterPoint and other utilities’ customers being asked to reduce electricity use as much as possible.
CenterPoint Vice President Shane Bradford says the company has “sufficient energy supply to serve our service territory and customer load.”
But Bradford says the grid operator, known by the acronym MISO, is experiencing shortages across its multi-state footprint, and CenterPoint is “following their guidance to encourage customers to conserve energy.”
They urge residents to set thermostats a few degrees lower; avoid using large appliances -- such as ovens and washing machines -- as much as possible; and turn off and unplug non-essential lights and appliances.
Businesses are asked to minimize the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment while larger, commercial electric customers are asked to “consider reducing non-essential production.”
If conditions worsen, MISO may direct CentePoint and other utilities to implement temporary shutoffs to prevent longer or more widespread outages.
More information can be found on the CenterPoint Energy Facebook page.