JULY 26, 2023:
As the temperatures outdoors have risen into the 90s and 100s, people are trying to bring down the temperatures they’re living and working in indoors. That puts additional pressure on the electrical grid in the US.
Pierre Utilities Director Brad Palmer says making some small changes at home can make a big impact.
Palmer says commercial businesses can also do some things to help reduce the demand for electricity.
If you’re buying new appliances, Palmer encourages people to be sure they’re energy efficient.
Palmer says energy is generated on demand, which means power providers can’t predict if or when, exactly, there will be an energy shortage that leads to the need for short-term power outages. He says if there is a controlled outage in Pierre, it’s unlikely the entire City will be impacted at once and any outage is not expected to last more than two hours.
People concerned about potential short-term outages can go to cityofpierre.org and register to receive energy alert notifications by going to public.alertsense.com.
JULY 19, 2023:
In South Dakota, we don’t typically have to deal with rolling blackouts to reduce demand on our electrical supply, but the chances of that happening here are increasing.
Pierre Utilities Director Brad Palmer says how electricity is generated has changed over the past decade or so.
Palmer says extreme temperatures across the country are causing a spike in energy demand.
Palmer says the best thing for customers to do is conserve energy and stay up-to-date on the potential for a controlled outage.
Palmer says utility companies won’t get much advance notice that they need to reduce their load on the electrical grid. He used this example for City of Pierre electrical customers.
Palmer encourages people concerned about potential short-term outages to visit cityofpierre.org and register to receive notifications by going to public.alertsense.com. Palmer says as the Southwest Power Pool provides the city with information, they’ll push it out to the public online, through AlertSense and through DRG Media Group and other local media.
The electric grid and wholesale power for the entire center portion of the country between the Canadian border and northern Texas is managed by the SPP. If energy demands start to outweigh generation, the SPP will issue an energy alert or an energy emergency. An alert means controlled outages are likely, people should start to reduce energy use. An emergency means controlled outages are in progress.
Palmer says if there is a controlled outage in Pierre, it’s unlikely the entire City will be impacted at once and any outage is not expected to last more than two hours. He says the best thing for customers to do is conserve energy and stay up-to-date on the potential for a controlled outage.
Palmer says energy is generated on demand, which means power providers can’t predict if or when, exactly, there will be an energy shortage that leads to a call for short-term power outages.
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