Tri-Cities region warned of possible rolling power blackouts during heat wave

The Bonneville Power Administration is working with Tri-Cities electric companies to prepare for the possibility of rolling power outages as extreme heat puts stress on its transmission system.

Benton PUD, Franklin PUD, Richland Energy Services and Benton REA all could be impacted, said Doug Johnson, spokesman for the BPA, which supplies power to the four Tri-Cities area utilities.

At this time none of the utilities have been asked to cut power.

But there is enough congestion on the grid and high demand in the Tri-Cities area to raise BPA concerns.

The city of Richland told residents Monday afternoon that if the transmission system reaches maximum capacity, the city will be required to make some changes in its distribution system.

“This process helps to prevent an overload condition on BPA’s transmission system that could result in a large-scale outage,” Richland officials said in a news release.

“Shedding load” occurs when the demand for electricity approaches supply, and BPA is forced to reduce power demand by temporarily removing some customers.

If BPA requires that, customers could see power outages of 30 minutes to up to four hours, the city of Richland said.

It would focus on maintaining essential businesses and services and rotate any outages throughout the city.

Any BPA notification to utilities could occur with little notice, so it is unlikely that customers would be notified in advance.

Energy use is expected to peak in the Tri-Cities on Tuesday, when highs are forecast to be as hot as 117 in the Tri-Cities.

Rick Dunn, the general manager of Benton Public Utility District, said if the BPA system continues to operate normally, he does not expect a rolling blackout.

But the loss of electric service could be required if a major piece of equipment on the transmission system fails, he said.

At this point BPA has not asked utilities to cut their load, and utilities have not asked customers to curtail electric use, but they are recommending steps customers can take to help conserve energy.

“We are hoping people will heed local utility calls for lower energy use to help us get through the heatwave,” Johnson said.

Benton PUD hit an all time record with demand for 451 megawatts in one hour on Sunday, beating the previous record of 437 megawatts in July 2020. The previous record was in place since 2014.

Benton PUD with BPA updated its rolling blackout plan in 2019 as it became evident that the Tri-Cities area was outgrowing the transmission system as currently designed, Dunn said.

BPA plans to bring more capacity to the Tri-Cities area in the next five to seven years, he said.

BPA is maximizing its transmission now by scheduling no maintenance on the system that could possibly interrupt delivery during the heat wave, Johnson said.

“We are seeing unprecedented numbers with regard to energy transfers across the transmission system due to excessive heat,” he said.

Benton PUD asked customers on Monday to help in the power crunch by turning up thermostats for air conditioners and only using appliances and electronics when necessary.

Not operating dishwashers, washing machines and major appliances between peak demand hours of 3 to 7 p.m. also would be helpful, it said.

This story was originally published June 28, 2021 at 5:10 PM.