Lubbock Power & Light, XCel Energy, Area Electric Co-ops Declare Energy Alert, Urge Additional Cons

LUBBOCK, Texas (Feb. 15, 2021) – With extreme cold temperatures still gripping the region, Lubbock Power and Light (LP&L), Xcel Energy and the electric cooperatives in the Texas South Plains, Texas Panhandle and eastern and southeastern New Mexico regions have declared a higher Energy Alert level and are urging customers to cut back on their use of electricity.

Additionally, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has requested the conservation of electric and natural gas energy.

Extreme cold weather has created energy deficiencies in the Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) region. SPP manages the electric grid across 17 central and western U.S. states and provides energy services on a contract basis to customers in both the Eastern and Western Interconnections. SPP declares an Energy Alert only when a reduction in electricity use is urgently needed to maintain the continuity of the electricity system and service to customers.

“This is an ongoing record weather event, bringing some of the coldest temperatures we’ve seen in 40 years,” said David McCalla, Executive Director for LP&L. “This has put a strain on grids across the state, including our region, and today we’re asking our customers to please do what they can to reduce their electric use for the stability of the overall grid.”

Suggestions on how reduce electric load include:

Set thermostats to 68 degrees or lower.
Suspend use of electrical appliances (dishwashers, washing machines, clothes dryers, vacuum cleaners, etc.)
Put off tasks at work, if possible, that would demand electricity (power tools, maintenance equipment, etc.).
Turn off televisions and electronic equipment unless they are necessary to conduct business or to ensure your health and safety.
Turn off unnecessary lighting, leaving on only enough to move about safely indoors.

Failure to reduce electricity demand could result in controlled electric service interruptions within the region.

LP&L’s call for energy conservation follows Xcel Energy’s declaration of the Energy Alert. Other efforts to reduce electricity demand or to increase supply were implemented. Those include:

Bringing online as many power plant generating units as possible and buying as much electricity as possible from other utilities.
Reducing electricity use as much as possible at Xcel Energy power plants and office buildings.
Interrupting power to industrial and agricultural customers who signed up for lower interruptible rates.
Asking other commercial and industrial customers to curtail their energy use.

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