Almost 5 million without power as winter storm stresses grid
By Zack Budryk - 02/16/21 09:12 AM EST
The massive winter storm that swept across the nation this week has left 5 million people without power as utilities have been forced to implement rolling power outages, Bloomberg reported.
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which manages a 14-state grid from North Dakota to Oklahoma, on Tuesday ordered the second day of rolling blackouts, the news outlet reported.
SPP executive vice president and chief operating officer Lanny Nickell said in a statement that the move was a “last resort†and SPP had never before ordered such interruptions.
“It’s a last resort that we understand puts a burden on our member utilities and the customers they serve but it’s a step we’re consciously taking to prevent circumstances from getting worse, which could result in uncontrolled outages of even greater magnitude,†Nickell said in a statement.
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https://thehill.com/regulation/energy-environment/538953-almost-5-million-without-power-as-winter-storm-stresses-grid
