An energy grid operator has warned Indiana and other Midwestern states of the possibility of rolling blackouts this summer as extreme heat combines with a projected power capacity shortage and increased demand.
Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), an independent, not-for-profit organization that delivers electric power across 15 U.S. states — including Indiana — and the Canadian province of Manitoba, is warning that power-generating capacity is struggling to keep up with demand, according to Bartholomew County REMC.
The issue could lead to warnings and possible rolling blackouts in Bartholomew County and other areas of the Midwest, with high temperatures expected to be in the 90s in Columbus for much of this week and surpass 100 degrees in parts of the Midwest, according to the National Weather Service.
“We’re all in the same boat, but I would say there’s definitely the possibility of the emergency to conserve energy and just hope for the best as far as the rolling blackouts,” said Marty Lasure, Bartholomew County REMC spokeswoman.
As of Monday afternoon, local utility companies say they have not received any warning of impending rolling blackouts.
Duke Energy, for its part, has contingency plans in place in case of a capacity shortage and that brownouts — partial outages — and rolling blackouts are the last option, said spokesman Chip Orben.
“We don’t we don’t anticipate blackouts or brownouts right now,” Orben said. “Now, again, that all depends on what the weather decides to do on Tuesday and Wednesday. We’ve planned for this. We’re prepared if something were to happen, and we would be prepared to communicate that with our customers.”
MISO will notify local utility companies first in the event of a power capacity shortage and customers will be asked to conserve energy. If that doesn’t solve the problem, then there could be rolling blackouts that officials expect to last no more than 30 minutes and cycle through the local area.
Bartholomew County REMC would notify customers as quickly as possible of the rolling blackouts but there likely won’t be much time between receiving notification from MISO and the start of the blackouts, Lasure said.
“We just want to prepare people for the situation if it were to occur because MISO had given us that information,” Lasure said. “So we want to prepare members if it happens, because they are notifying us of the chance.”
