When outdoor temperatures drop, electricity use naturally rises. Colder weather drives us indoors, where we rely more heavily on home heating systems, more lighting, and household appliances. Heating systems run longer and more frequently to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. Combine that with the fact that most people use electricity at the same times — typically in the mornings and early evenings — and the result is significant pressure on our electric grid.
Southeast Colorado Power Association works closely with Tri-State Generation and Transmission, our local power supply cooperative, to plan for these seasonal weather patterns and changes and to ensure you have reliable power every day of the year. This partnership involves detailed resource and infrastructure planning to make certain electricity is available whenever you need it. However, it is important to remember that our local system is part of a much larger regional and national electric grid.
During the winter months, when homes and businesses across the country are using more electricity simultaneously, overall demand can approach — or occasionally exceed — available supply. This is especially true during severe weather events, such as ice storms, sudden temperature drops, or equipment malfunctions that reduce generation capacity. In rare cases when demand threatens to outpace supply, the regional grid operator may call for temporary, controlled outages — often referred to as rolling blackouts — to prevent broader system failures. If such a situation arises, SECPA will provide timely updates and information to members via our website at secpa.com and our Facebook page. We have also recently added Interactive Voice Response to our phone system, which means when you call in to report an outage or pay a bill you can be greeted with a message explaining a large active outage and expected duration.
To prepare for these scenarios and minimize risks, SECPA takes proactive measures to strengthen reliability year-round. These include routine system maintenance, investments in grid modernization and comprehensive disaster response planning. Southeast Colorado Power Association has contracted tree trimmers clearing trees off our lines year-round. Our standard is a five-year cutback on all trees trimmed and it takes five years to get every mile of our power lines cleared. Southeast Colorado Power Association also has poles inspected every year and then changes out all rejected poles. These proactive steps are designed to ensure our portion of the grid remains resilient even under extreme conditions. Yet, maintaining a reliable electric system requires a collective effort — and every member plays an important role in lowering demand when the grid is under stress.
You can help by taking simple actions during periods of high electricity use, especially on the coldest days of winter:
- Lower your thermostat slightly. Even reducing the temperature by a few degrees can help.
- Delay using large appliances during peak hours. Run dishwashers, washing machines and dryers during off-peak hours — typically midday or late evening.
- Adjust your water heater. Setting it to 120 degrees F and spacing out showers helps conserve both energy and hot water.
- Unplug unnecessary devices. Power used for lighting and electronics adds up and accounts for a significant portion of home energy use. Disconnect unused items to reduce energy waste.
Understanding how winter weather impacts electricity demand is key to maintaining system reliability. By practicing simple energy conservation habits at home, you save money on your monthly bill and you help strengthen the resilience of the grid that powers our community.
Together, through small actions and shared awareness, we can ensure that our homes remain warm, our lights stay on, and our local grid continues to serve us reliably throughout the season.
