Cleco Power forced to begin periodic power outages to customers

PINEVILLE, La. – Feb. 16, 2021 (7:30 p.m.) – Cleco has been notified by the regional reliabilitycoordinator, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), that extremely cold temperatures are causing an increase in demand for power which is resulting in an overload of the power grid." To help protect the stability of the power grid and prevent prolonged outages, MISO has instructed Cleco to reduce demand on the power grid by beginning periodic outages to customers across Louisiana." “While our crews worked to prepare for this storm, a loss of generation combined with the peak load due to record-low temperatures have caused a strain on the power grid system. In an effortto prevent damage or lengthy power outages, Cleco was instructed by MISO to begin forced power outages,” said Terry Whitmore, vice president of transmission services. “Depending on conditions, individual customers could experience multiple outages each lasting less than an hour until we receive notification from MISO that this is no longer necessary to protect the electric grid system.”

Some actions customers with power can take to conserve energy include:

Delay laundry, washing dishes, and other non-essential uses of electricity for conservation.

Wash clothes with cold water, cook foods at the lowest possible setting and refrain from opening the oven door while baking.

Don’t allow warmed air to escape from the home.

Open blinds, drapes and curtains to let in warmth from the sun. 

Lower the central thermostat to 68 degrees or lower if possible.“We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding during this unusual time,” said Whitmore. “We will resume normal operations as soon as possible.”

For the latest information on Cleco power outage updates and restoration efforts, visit Cleco’s Storm Center page at www.cleco.com or follow the company on Facebook @Cleco Power.Cleco Corporate Holdings LLC is a regional energy holding company that conducts its business operations through its subsidiaries, Cleco Power LLC and Cleco Cajun LLC. Cleco Power is a regulated electric public utility company that owns 10 generating units with a rated capacity of 3,360 MWs and serves approximately 288,000 customers in Louisiana through its retail business and supplies wholesale power in Louisiana and Mississippi. Cleco Cajun is an unregulated utility company that owns 14 generating units with a rated capacity of 3,379 MWs.