BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Gov. Doug Burgum issued the following statement today after Southwest Power Pool, whose 14-state electrical transmission area includes parts of North Dakota, declared an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3 and directed its member utilities to implement controlled interruptions of service to prevent further power outages.

“Consumers in the Southwest Power Pool’s regional grid operating area are being urged to reduce their consumption of electricity at both home and work as SPP and its member companies work to restore the grid to full capacity, and we thank North Dakotans for doing their part to conserve power,” Burgum said. “This situation, brought about by extreme cold stretching south all the way to Texas, underscores the need for an all-of-the-above energy approach with reliable coal power as a critical piece of the baseload mix.”

North Dakota electricity consumers are served by two regional transmission organizations, SPP and Midwest Independent System Operators, or MISO.