2023 SRP Monsoon and Summer Story Ideas
Following is a list of monsoon-related and timely summer story ideas that can be covered throughout this season. Please contact media@srpnet.com unless otherwise noted. Planning in advance may be needed to coordinate stories.
Tour the Inside of SRP’s Agua Fria Power Plant and Bolster Substation Battery Storage System: Last summer, SRP set a record for the amount of energy delivered to its customers, supplying a peak demand of 7,620 megawatts (MW). To reliably meet customers’ growing energy needs, SRP recently added two new 49.5 megawatt flexible, fast-ramping natural gas turbines at the Agua Fria Generating Station that can quickly supply energy to more than 22,000 average homes at once. Next door to the power plant is SRP’s largest energy storage system, the 25 MW Bolster Substation Battery System. Both resources are essential for meeting summer energy demands and integrating renewable energy. Members of the media are invited to tour the new natural gas turbines and the battery system to see these important resources first-hand. Contact Erica Roelfs (erica.roelfs@srpnet.com) for more details. Tour spots are limited and will be confirmed on a first come, first served basis.
Glove Testing Lab: In 2022, SRP’s Glove Testing Lab tested more than 3,600 pairs of gloves and 1,900 rubber mat blankets to ensure they are safe for use by SRP linemen, electricians and relay technicians. Reporters can get a tour of the lab and watch as the rubber gloves are dipped into a tank filled with more than 200 gallons of water and subjected to more than 40,000 volts of electricity. Electrical work is dangerous, so it’s imperative SRP provides employees the proper personnel protective equipment, rubber goods, and safe work procedures to mitigate hazards each and every day. Media are invited to contact Patty Likens (patty.likens@sprnet.com) to schedule a tour of SRP’s Glove Testing Lab.
Summer Stock: SRP’s response to summer storm outages starts far in advance of monsoon season. Our purchasing team works closely with our transmission and distribution crews to identify which items are most impacted by storms. Each year, and before storm season, the purchasing team places orders for additional quantities of these critical items to temporarily increase stocking levels and further insulate SRP from the potential damage of the storms. This year’s preparation efforts include increasing the wood pole storage and setting aside materials dedicated specifically for storm response, should our normal stock levels of this material become depleted. Media are invited to contact media@srpnet.com to schedule a visit to our Tempe Service Center to see these additional supplies and learn more about how SRP is prepared to respond to summer outages.
Innovation Lab: SRP’s Technology Innovation Lab continuously works to improve the reliability of SRP’s grid. The utility is working on several types of technology aimed at helping operators identify outage causes, locations and severity. Some of the new technology being tested allows crews to isolate small areas in the event of an outage – meaning power can be restored to some customers before crews even arrive. The lab environment allows engineers to develop software and diagnostic technology that allow crews to efficiently prepare for potential outages. This translates to improved crew safety and reduced outage time for customers. Media are invited to contact Tyler Wegleitner
(tyler.wegleitner@srpnet.com) to schedule a tour of SRP’s Technology Innovation Lab in Scottsdale.
Personal Outage Prevention: While SRP can’t stop wind and other weather from impacting the power system, many types of outages are easy to prevent. High winds can cause items like patio furniture, pool toys, shade structures and trampolines to become airborne, blowing into power lines and causing outages and other damage. Mylar balloons making contact with power lines also contribute to multiple power outages each year. Putting these items indoors or safely securing them can help keep everyone in power, especially during monsoon season. If an item does end up in a power line, do not retrieve it. Call SRP or 911 to report it and have it safely removed. An SRP expert can discuss these tips as well as what caused the most unexpected power outages last year ranging from storms, safety hazards in lines, traffic accidents and damage to power equipment, and others.
Storm Preparedness Tips: What should someone do when they see a downed power line? Summer storms can produce potentially hazardous conditions for Valley residents. SRP experts will provide monsoon safety tips and have examples of items that should be on-hand in everyone's home.
SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest electricity provider in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving approximately 1.1 million customers. SRP provides water to about half of the Valley’s residents, delivering more than 244 billion gallons of water (750,000 acre-feet) each year, and manages a 13,000-square-mile watershed that includes an extensive system of reservoirs, wells, canals and irrigation laterals.