WHY IS THE RELIABILITY OF ELECTRICITY AT RISK IN OHIO?

• On an average day, Ohio and the region generate plenty of electricity to meet the demand for power. Ohio’s electric cooperatives have a mix of power generation resources.

• • Coal—Cardinal Plant in Brilliant, Ohio is the primary source for cooperatives
  • Natural Gas—Greenville and Mone Plants in the western part of the state
  • Solar—Multiple solar arrays around the state
  • Wind—Multiple wind turbine locations around the state
  • Hydropower—With New York Port Authority
  • Biogas—methane gas from landfills and farms in the state

• Ohio is one of 13 states in the PJM Interconnection, which manages the electric grid in our region. When demand exceeds the available supply of power, PJM, orders all electric utilities to shed some of their load to regain balance on the grid. 
• Load shedding results in rolling power outages, and can impact an entire region, a state, or a portion of a state. It can impact cooperatives, publicly owned utility companies—any provider of electricity.
• Rolling outages are beyond the control of your local cooperative or utility company.
• The rolling outages are intended to be temporary, and all consumers (members) are asked to conserve energy to bring balance back to the electric grid.

FIVE KEY AREAS IMPACT RELIABLE ELECTRICITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY

• Five key areas are impacting the reliable delivery of electricity across the nation. They include: 
  • Increasing demand for electricity as other sectors of the economy are electrified.
  • Decreasing electricity supply due to the disorderly retirement and insufficient replacement of existing generation.
  • Permitting delays that prevent new electric infrastructure from being built and connected to the grid.
  • Supply chain challenges, particularly electric transformer availability and costs.
  • Problems with natural gas availability.

ROLLING OUTAGES COULD BECOME MORE COMMON IN OHIO, THE REGION IN NEXT 10 YEARS

• Reliable coal and natural gas plants are closing in Ohio and across the region at a faster pace than they can be replaced by renewable energy resources. This is due to the federal energy policy in place. Ohio had 21 coal plants in 2009, and today has just 4 remaining. While renewable resources like wind and solar help fill the gap, they do not produce power on demand in the winter when it may be very cold and dark outside, and the wind isn’t blowing.

HOW CAN I HELP BY CONSERVING ENERGY AT HOME?

• Adjust your thermostat
• Minimize the use of space heaters
• Unplug appliances you aren’t using
• Wash clothes later at night
• Use your dishwasher later at night or handwash dishes
• Close curtains to keep heat in at night
• Open curtains during the day to let sunlight in