Waunakee Utilities prepared to power summer activities

As everyone looks to the season of fun and sun, Waunakee Utilities wants customers to know that the utility is prepared to meet the community’s energy needs during the hot summer months when electricity demand is at its highest.

Waunakee Utilities is a member-owner of wholesale power supplier WPPI Energy. WPPI works with the area’s grid operator to provide reliable, affordable, and responsible electricity.

“WPPI member utilities secured necessary capacity resources months ago to serve Waunakee Utilities and its customers this summer,” said Tim Noeldner, senior vice president of power supply for WPPI. “All of WPPI’s large generators are in good repair and ready for the summer season.”

Waunakee Utilities and WPPI are located within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator region.

WPPI cooperates with other utilities in MISO, sharing resources and coordinating operations to provide reliable service. To contribute to reliability, Waunakee Utilities and WPPI secure generation capacity in advance. MISO recently released its 2024 summer assessment and anticipates, as in past years, there will be enough electric generation available to meet projected peak demand.

There is a possibility that customers may use more electricity than projected due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a prolonged heatwave. Likewise, generators may experience unplanned outages during peak conditions, resulting in electricity shortfalls. Keeping generators in good repair and carrying capacity reserves help reduce the risk of shortfalls.

“Having plans in place to deal with emergencies is vital,” said Valy Goepfrich, vice president of operations for WPPI. “WPPI and our members, including Waunakee Utilities, strive to provide strong reliability to our communities, and practice contingency plans before summer arrives to make sure we are prepared.”

An example of how these systems have operated successfully can be seen in results from summer 2023, when WPPI Energy broke its previous record of peak electricity demand on a hot August day. Though there was a greater need for electricity than ever before, this day was uneventful for customers of Waunakee Utilities and wholesale energy prices remained stable throughout the heatwave.