ND regulators call for power grid review

Members of the North Dakota Public Service Commission are calling for a thorough review of what may have gone wrong, when some North Dakota co-ops and utilities lost power in “rolling blackouts” as electricity was diverted to states suffering from a major cold spell.

North Dakota is served by two operators of the power grid – the Southwest Power Pool and the Midwest Independent System Operators. Those operators are involved in power transmission.

Capital Electric Co-Op of Bismarck, Verendrye Electric Co-op of Minot, Cass County electric co-op of Fargo and some others did have brief power failures, as the rolling blackouts began. They complained that it was done with little or no notice.

Some utilities have alerted their customers that they could see rolling blackouts until Friday.

Xcel Energy did not order reductions for customers in Grand Forks as they are not on the SPP grid.

NDPPR/KNOX