SHREVEPORT, La.  Feb. 15, 2021 – Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) has ended the controlled outages implemented today in an emergency procedure prompted by extreme winter temperatures.

The rotating controlled outages were implemented when SWEPCO and other utilities were called upon by the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the regional organization that manages the electric grid across 17 central and western U.S. states. The planned and coordinated interruption of service is part of emergency procedures to reduce load on the electric system and prevent wider area outages. 

The combined efforts of SWEPCO and other utilities achieved the required reduction in demand for electricity and SPP returned to a lower emergency level focused on continued energy conservation. 

SWEPCO is completing the restoration of power to any remaining customers impacted by the temporary outages. 

“This is an extraordinary weather situation, and we are continuing efforts to maintain reliability across the entire region,” said Malcolm Smoak, SWEPCO president and chief operating officer. “We appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers as we all work together to make it through this emergency.”

SWEPCO will keep customers informed of any changes over the next few days as the region continues to deal with persistent, widespread and extreme cold.  

SWEPCO is asking customers to continue energy conservation efforts. Use energy needed for personal safety and to protect against property damage. Minor adjustments to thermostats, plus reduced use of lighting and appliances, can make a significant difference to the overall electric system.

At the request of SPP, SWEPCO on Sunday issued a public appeal to conserve energy Monday and Tuesday. However, conditions across the SPP system worsened and controlled outages were implemented.

SWEPCO will provide updates through the news media, on SWEPCO.com, and on the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages. 

SPP is a regional transmission organization: a not-for-profit corporation mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure and competitive wholesale electricity prices on behalf of its members. 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. The company’s headquarters are in Little Rock, Arkansas. Learn more at SPP.org.

[NOTE: SWEPCO customers in East Texas and the Panhandle also may hear advisories from neighboring grid operator Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which serves much of the rest of the state and is a separate reliability grid from SPP. SWEPCO is not part of ERCOT.]