With temperatures soaring across much of the country, federal officials have taken steps to help ensure the electric grid can keep up with increased demand.
The U.S. Department of Energy recently issued an emergency order at the request of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a regional transmission organization that helps coordinate electricity across 17 states, including a portion of northwest Louisiana.
Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis says the order allows some power plants to temporarily generate more electricity than they normally would under certain operating restrictions. It also allows grid operators to call on large industrial customers and data centers with backup generators to help reduce pressure on the system…