Like Robert De Niro, Platte River Power Authority took action when they felt heat around the corner. Although, it worked out better for PRPA.
As high temperatures scorched Longmont on Monday, Platte River Power Authority urged Longmont residents — as well as its customers in Estes Park, Fort Collins, and Loveland — to slash electricity use after an energy emergency alert was issued by Southwest Power Pool. SPP is the authority that governs and balances electric power transmission across several states in Colorado’s region, from North Dakota to parts of Texas.
PRPA said this was the result of…
Widespread high temperatures which, in Longmont, reached 100 degrees.
Low production from wind turbines and solar fields (more on that below).
Electric generation resource outages.
PRPA asked that residents reduce the use of appliances including thermostats on air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes washers, and other electric devices through 9 p.m. Monday.
SPP is charged with ensuring there’s enough energy to meet electricity demand. When it determines there’s not enough supply to meet demand, a call for conservation is issued. Had conditions worsened further, rolling blackouts may have occurred.
In the end, that didn’t happen. Within less than two hours, SPP downgraded the alert as conditions stabilized, though it still recommended mild conservation. But, that’s now where the story ends.
Controversy brewing?
Many on social media responded to the situation by criticizing a perceived overreliance on wind and solar energy. In a statement sent to The Longmont Brief, PRPA said…
“We are acutely aware of the intermittency of wind and solar resources, which is why we’re also pursuing a dispatchable capacity solution that includes natural gas, batteries and a virtual power plant.
PRPA added…
The situation [on Monday] was the result of a “dark calm.” This means the sun wasn’t shining and no wind was blowing, meaning no power from wind turbines and solar panels.
Well aware of the limits of nonrenewable energy, PRPA is charging full steam ahead towards a solution: aeroderivative gas turbines.
Aeroderivative turbines are gas turbines derived from jet engine technology that are fast-starting, only run during peak demand or low renewable output, and are designed to support, not replace, renewable energy.
Big picture:
PRPA is currently constructing five turbines and says they will become an essential part of maintaining reliable service after the company retires its coal facilities in 2029.