Source: Estevan Mercury
February 16, 2021
SaskPower has announced it is currently exporting 175 megawatts (MW) of electricity south to provide relief as extreme cold conditions strain electrical systems and leave millions without power in parts of the United States.
“In Saskatchewan we know first-hand the challenges posed by extreme winter weather, and being part of an integrated grid means that when called upon, we help each other out,” said Kory Hayko, SaskPower vice-president of transmission and industrial services, and president and CEO of NorthPoint Energy Solutions.
“We have been able to help our neighbours in their time of need, while maintaining the stability of our grid and delivering reliable power to our customers.”
SaskPower began moving 150 MW of electricity on Sunday morning, and has since temporarily increased the amount to 175 MW.
The company will continue to offer all the support it can for as long as possible.
SaskPower has successfully managed higher-than-normal peak loads during the past 10 days as Saskatchewan experienced extreme cold conditions associated with a polar vortex.
The exported power is being fed through an intertie into the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which is currently under emergency operating conditions.
SPP co-ordinates the flow of electricity across approximately 60,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines spanning 14 states.
