Electrical utilities concerned about supply and demand issues
The utilities supplying electricity to Dubois County residents are working out plans to respond to any calls from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) to lower electricity usage to prevent system shutdowns.
The organization warned of potential capacity shortfalls and other reliability concerns in the north and central regions of its coverage area earlier this month.
MISO is an independent, not-for-profit, member-based organization responsible for operating the power grid across 15 U.S. states in the Midwest and the Canadian province of Manitoba. Locally, Dubois REC, the cities of Jasper and Huntingburg and the town of Ferdinand supply their customers with electricity from the MISO grid.
According to a June 3 Today in Energy report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, MISO expects to have 143.2 GW of available capacity this summer. However, planned maintenance and forced outages could reduce the available capacity. In the past five years, MISO has had an average of 6.7 GW of maintenance outages and 14.4 GW of forced outages in the summer.
Along with the maintenance and planned outages, factors such as drought, low-wind conditions, or fuel supply limitations have further reduced MISO’s summer electricity supply by as much as 9.6 GW in the past five years, the EIA reported.
Tuesday, Dubois REC issued a statement on the company’s Facebook Page that customers may experience rolling blackouts due to increased demands for electricity combined with factors that have lowered electrical production in the United States.
Dubois REC wrote, “the demand for power (usage) in the Midwest United States is projected to reach or potentially exceed the maximum generation capacity for this region in the near future. If the power consumption reaches these critical levels, rolling blackouts could become a reality across the entire Midwest, including here at Dubois REC.”
According to Dubois REC’s post, the accelerated transition from coal-fired generation plants to renewable energy sources has also caused supply issues. This has occurred because, “renewables such as wind and solar provide intermittent energy instead of the 24×7 generation provided by coal and gas. Unfortunately, the pace of renewable replacement has not kept up with the directed retirement of coal plants. This has created a supply/demand imbalance,” the cooperative stated in the Facebook post.
Anticipating the demand, Dubois REC requested that customers conserve energy by turning off unnecessary lights; limiting the use of large appliances like clothes dryers and dishwashers; lowering the temperature on water heaters, and setting your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher while using fans.
If the strain on the electrical grid reaches critical levels, MISO may order rolling blackouts for all utilities on the MISO grid. “This action would be necessary to prevent a system overload causing detrimental outages lasting days rather than the short controlled outages we would be directed to initiate,” Dubois REC wrote.
The cooperatives stated they have a plan for implementing the rolling blackouts if they are directed to do so. “In short, small portions of our system will be de-energized on a rotational basis. These planned outages are to last no longer than 60 minutes for any area,” they stated.
Additionally, the cooperative stated, ‘In the event Dubois REC receives notice to go into load curtailment (rolling blackouts) protocol, there will be a notification on all area news media that immediate energy conservation is requested. MISO will continue to monitor the grid, and if the strain is not alleviated by the request for conservation, we would be instructed to proceed with rolling blackouts. That announcement would be made via local news media as well.”
Dubois REC urged customers to comply with voluntary energy conservation efforts in the event the need is announced. “During the hot summer months, these events would be expected to occur between 2:00 and 8:00 p.m.,” the cooperative said.
Jasper and Huntingburg receive electricity through the Indiana Municipal Power Agency (IMPA). According to Jasper Electrical Superintendent Jerry Schitter, IMPA has issued a similar statement regarding usage and potential blackouts as well.
In Jasper, if the city has to comply with shutting down circuits through the city, they plan on responding in a similar fashion as Dubois REC.
If IMPA contacted them to begin voluntarily curtailing usage, the city would issue a statement to its customers to cut back using similar methods outlined in the statement from Dubois REC.
“And if that doesn’t solve the problem, [we would] take circuits offline and rotate them out,” Schitter said.
There are 16 circuits in Jasper serving about 8,000 customers, Schitter said. They will rotate between those circuits, shutting one down for 60 minutes at a time until the load on the system is reduced enough to discontinue blackouts. Emergency services and hospitals will not lose power during these events.
“It would be an inconvenience, but hopefully it doesn’t get to that point,” he said.
Schitter agreed with Dubois REC’s Facebook statement regarding the loss of coal fire powerplants impacting the supply side of the system. He added that it is also the shutdown of a nuclear powerplant impacting the supply.
Ferdinand is working out how they will respond to any requests to lower consumption at the time of this article.
Huntingburg’s Utility Superintendent did not return a call at the time this story was updated. However, Huntingburg is a member of IMPA and will have to comply with their requests to reduce electrical consumption as well.
Thanks Democrats . Let’s just shut down power plants before renewable energy technology is anywhere close to being able to provide the power we need. Indiana in 2022 , blackouts coming . This country is going to hell under the Dems. All you Libs voted for the destruction of the USA. I hope you’re happy .
Yeah thanks Republicans for making us dependent on oil… I fixed it for you
Tell me what is wrong with oil or coal, both are made from natural processes.
Both come to be via dead animals and plants, this will always be the case, unless enough windmills and such kill all the birds and wildlife first.
Coal is also used to filter water and is spread on crops to help with growth.
I would really like to know when natural processes became bad for the environment.
When it heats up the earth to make it unlivable.
Next…
Global warming makes the world wetter and more lush than means less deserts and more food.
Your turn….
Interesting response. Except for drying clothes in the summer, solar and wind power are both new and not efficient enough to provide sufficient, sustained power. Coal, oil, and natural gas have powered this nation for 2 centuries. There’s no need to throw shade at either (or any) political party. The human race made itself dependent on fossil fuels for energy.
Wind mills are new?
Ok you’re right. I guess I lost. Have a great weekend everyone. Make sure you don’t watch the news there might be truth on there.
You caused this Dems, along with sky high gas, food prices, and food shortages . Hope you’re happy.
And yet everyone should go buy an electric vehicle……? Someone has definately put the cart in front of the horse, but when your greedy I guess common sence doesn’t matter.
Let me help you out there… definately = definitely, your = you’re, & sence = sense. I guess education doesn’t matter either.
Thank you grammar police. Glad you have nothing better to do with your time.
Just found this thread. If, for example “definately = definitely, your = you’re, & sence = sense”, and “=” “indicat[es] mathematical or logical equivalence”, then both spellings are correct/acceptable???
I guess grammatical tone letters don’t matter either.
Exactly right Matt, some how we should all just get electric vehicles but we can’t even survive the summer now on so called “green” energy.
Also people don’t even understand how the charging stations get the power in the first place. Some might be shocked if i say what it is.
More batteries = more minerals and rare earth metals dug up, doesn’t sound too environmentally healthy to me but what do i know i’m not a scientist.
I can’t imagine how many blackouts there will be when most cars & trucks use electricity. I hear most coal fired electric power plants will be stopped in Petersburg by 2025. Why are our leaders destroying our country. Does anyone have an answer?
Earth comes first… No earth no country…
Can’t believe we still have to explain this.
Fossil fuels are based on what the earth has provided us.
Can’t believe i have to explain this…
Yeah and they heat the earth up, even Mike “tried a coup” Braun knows this.
Pretty sure the earth was suppose to end due to the climate in 1970s.
We must fix are voting system and vote these clowns out !!
Agreed! Fix the voting system and vote these Republican clowns out!!
People who vote for the D do so because they are brainwashed to believe in a future that is Utopian and without needs. Anyone whom is not in complete agreement with their goal and its requirements are automatically titled as inferior. They retaliate against dissent by spreading hate in attempts to silence critics. Very simple process. Let’s hope we are not titled as inferior by those who control the blackouts…or we may find ourselves in the dark more often than not
Man remember when Texas had blackouts in the winter. That must me a Dem state right?
No, that’s a red state that believed the Democrat agenda. People died. Just like what always happens when Dimocrats are in charge. And I can also assure you that Trump had nothing to do with it.
The Democrats want the whole country to follow California’s “fine” example of leadership. Let’s see how far that will get us once we are back in the stone age.
Like I just said…. Texas couldnt even figure out how to use their grid in the winter.
That’s a Red state….. Indiana has been a Red state for how long?
In all fairness, Holcomb isn’t really a Republican.
I agree, Vince. I am not a fan of “The incredible transition Americans must go through”. I never once thought that I wanted to be part of a government experiment. But here we are. Suffering together. I guess Biden succeeded in uniting Americans after all.
Give it up GOP… You just look dumb.
Didn’t all the Republicans vote against a bill stopping the gas companies from price gouging.
Yeah it’s the Dems fault…
Jan 6th was a coup
January 6th was a coup. No “assault weapons” amongst the “invaders” and videos show them walking around inside taking pictures. 3 hours later, they all left.
One hell of a coup.
Well it was trump trying it and he fails at everything he touches so….
Remember when he bought a painting of himself with money that was supposed to go to the vets…. Man what a great American.
I’d say installing fake electoral votes would be a coup.
And this administrations record is…….
Ah yes high gas prices are the reason the coal plants got shut down.
Do you even reread your comments before you post? Because this one makes no sense.
How many shut down during Trump’s years? When did they decide to shut the ones down over in Pike? Last year or so? Nope….
I’m not trump obsessed like you and realize both parties are to blame for the ridiculous “environmental” laws forced upon us.
Dude when someone says the Dems are destroying our country what kind of person would I be to just let someone lie like that?
Tell the truth, keep my name out of your fake names and you might get rid of me.
Both political parties are equally at blame. Washington is a mess!! These politicians have been bought and paid for by the Utility PACs. Not one of them cares about the people they promised to protect and serve. Shame on them all!!
Wayne must have been on lunch earlier. Leave your replies. He will get back to you later.
Yup now I’m on break… Weird a guy like me isn’t afraid to use his full real name but people that think they are right hide behind aliases.
Sounds like the KKK
Show your face if you think you’re right.
Did someone just say Texas is a blue state…. Now that some good stuff.
Oh and then saying a Republican governor isn’t Republican… Keep them hits coming this is funny, and not dumb at all…
Just read through the replies. It’s hilarious. One person rants that he knows everything. No only that, he thinks everyone else is stupid. What are the odds that the guy ranting is right? I will give it less that 5%
Prove me wrong…
Better hurry up I got things to do tonight.
FYI the above is impostor JK. Not the regular “moderate-left-JK-everyone-on-this-site-wants-me-dead” JK. That’s me. You can tell because I use big words too much. We had our tiff a few weeks ago but whatever. Just so you know if this continues.
Not getting involved in this thread. It’s a complicated issue that goes beyond just forum posts. Busy work week and a wedding this weekend for me too. Have fun!
Everyone else feel free to use to the space below to tell me to kill myself like normal.
Belatedly, and without getting (too far) into the political fray that seems to happen with this stuff, I’ll just say this: A week or so back when this news was starting to make the rounds in the midwest (if not yet Indiana or Dubois Co, specifically), an official from one of the national electric entities indicated…in part from past history/experience…that it was “extremely unlikely” to come to “rolling blackouts” in this area. Of course, those experiences and past history were bB…before Biden, et al, and absent of any guarantees, but let’s just hope the electric official is correct in his assessment.