Xcel Energy ready for summer heatwaves
Xcel Energy’s priority is making sure the affordable energy you rely on every day is there when you need it. Long before summer arrives, the company works to ensure its power generation and delivery systems are ready to meet customers’ needs as temperatures rise. It also works with regional electrical grid operators to understand and prepare for any summertime challenges that could affect electric service. These include extreme weather such as ongoing drought, soaring temperatures and damaging storms, plus wildfires and a host of other scenarios.
“Xcel Energy is prepared for summer electricity demands and has enough generation resources lined up to serve our customers reliably, and we always take every step possible to avoid or minimize any outages,” said Teresa Mogensen, senior vice president of Energy Supply. “We ensure our own diverse electric generation and transmission resources are performing at their best. We continuously monitor weather forecasts, electricity generation expectations, and other factors driving energy supply and demand.”
In addition to her role at Xcel Energy, Mogensen serves as a member of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Reliability Issues Steering Committee, which has firsthand insights into what it takes to provide reliable service to customers, and which looks ahead to identify new or changing risks to reliability that need to be addressed.
In most states it serves, Xcel Energy partners with other energy companies to participate in organizations that manage the larger regional energy grid. This benefits customers because regional grid operators can constantly balance electric supply and demand across a larger region to have more options to meet customer needs and provide more reliable electricity.
In an emergency situation, a regional grid operator may call upon Xcel Energy and other energy companies to reduce energy use on their systems through controlled outages to support reliability on the larger grid, Mogensen said. The company does not expect to have to conduct controlled outages this summer and they would only be used as a last resort to avoid widespread or prolonged outages.
If energy use needs to be reduced, the company would first encourage its customers to conserve energy. It would also decrease energy demand by working with large commercial customers who participate in voluntary interruptible energy programs, and it would activate the programs customers participate in to reduce usage when demand is high.
Smart energy choices to keep bills low and the AC on
For residential customers, making some small changes in your energy routines, especially with natural gas prices higher than they have been, you can save money this summer and all year long while also helping reduce demand on the grid. Here are a few simple ideas:
- Turn your thermostat up a few degrees if possible.
- Avoid using major appliances between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- Turn off unnecessary lights and unplug unneeded appliances.
- Sign up for our voluntary, energy saving program, Saver's Switch.
- Discover even more energy-saving tips on our website.
Commercial customers can check out the many programs and rebates available, too.