Singing River Electric and other Cooperative Energy member distribution cooperatives experienced a critical energy shortage early Wednesday morning, Jan. 17. This shortage resulted in the cooperative sending a public appeal to the membership to reduce their energy use by lowering thermostats, delaying showers and putting off washing laundry and dishes in order to shed load.
Although Cooperative Energy, SRE’s generation and transmission provider, was producing more than enough energy at their generation sites for Singing River Electric and other CE member systems, it is a part of a regional transmission organization called Midcontinent Independent System Operator or MISO, and is required to help keep the electric grid balanced.
Singing River Electric and Cooperative Energy were prepared for the cold weather, however, transmission constraints and the loss of large generating units within the MISO South region affected us. Today’s extremely low temperatures caused record energy use and placed a strain on the electric system, including Cooperative Energy’s members and the entire MISO South area. This cold weather is causing heating systems to run more often, resulting in an abnormally high demand on our system.
Singing River Electric’s membership responded to the call to reduce load and the critical issue today was resolved.
Cooperative Energy and its member systems, including Singing River Electric, will monitor the load through the night and into the morning. Our region is expecting extreme cold temperatures again tonight and tomorrow. For updates, visit www.singingriver.com or our social media channels (SingingRiverElectric for Facebook and Instagram, and SRECooperative for Twitter).
Singing River Electric is an electric distribution cooperative serving over 74,000 members in seven counties in southeast Mississippi and two counties in southwest Alabama.
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Cutline:Â Singing River Electric serviceman James Chipley is shown here restoring power on Jake Hill Road in Greene County on Wed., Jan. 17, after Winter Storm Inga.