Investments in infrastructure will reduce the likelihood of disruptions from extreme weather events, leading to more frequent and severe power outages. These investments help harden the system, which adds to reliability.
Having an adequate energy supply to meet existing and growing demand while maintaining affordability is necessary to deliver power to its intended destination. Grid investment expands the overall system capacity to meet that demand in the most efficient and affordable way possible.
These investments will also help in reducing the likelihood of disruptions from extreme weather events that could lead to more frequent and severe power outages.
“Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) is in the same condition as the rest of the country. Its transmission infrastructure needs additional investments to uphold and expand the system to maintain reliability,” explained WFEC CEO Gary Roulet.
WFEC, a not-for-profit, wholesale power supplier for 21 distribution cooperatives and Altus Air Force Base, located across Oklahoma and into parts of New Mexico, has been rebuilding and replacing transmission structures across the service territory through capital investment projects in each year’s budget. New, more resilient steel poles are being used in some areas to replace wooden structures, and increased conductor capacity is helping support transfer capability between the resource and load.
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a regional transmission organization of which WFEC is a member, is enabling rapid, reliable, and innovative solutions for the interconnection of high-impact loads and is positioning its region as an attractive destination for major power users.
For additional information, please visit www.wfec.com.