Energy Alert Advisory – Individual and Group Conservation Actions Make a Difference
August 26, 2024 10:56 AM

Dear Campus Community,

This week's extreme heat forecast for the Midwest will substantially increase demand on the regional electric grid and require significant energy optimization strategies. 

Energy conservation efforts should be undertaken and maximized between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. through Thursday, August 29, on campus. The load is anticipated to peak in the afternoon, when consumption is typically the highest, with heat indices between 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. 

What energy conservation actions should be prioritized?
Facilities & Services (F&S) requests that all students, faculty, and staff help take the steps listed below to conserve energy to the greatest extent possible this week. Your efforts at the departmental, college, institute, and unit levels can significantly reduce campus demand during these peak energy periods. If practical, please shut off, shut down, put into sleep mode, or unplug the following:

• Lights
• Computers
• Monitors
• Printers
• Chargers
• Appliances
• Other nonessential equipment

Close the following items to protect facility equipment and systems:    

• Outside windows and doors in air-conditioned areas
• Fume hood sashes when not in use

Also, please remember to shut off, shut down, put into sleep mode, or unplug equipment before leaving campus rooms and spaces for the day or long durations.  

How can I notify someone about hot/cold concerns in university facilities?
While in university facilities, report any temperature-related issues regarding specific rooms or building spaces to the F&S Energy Management Control Center, 217-244-3783. Coordinate with unit facility managers and building contacts as typical throughout the notification and review process. 

Why are extensive energy conservation procedures vital to university operations?
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) helps deliver power across the United States and Canada, including Illinois. Although Abbott Power Plant generates approximately half of the campus’ electricity, the remainder is purchased from the regional electric grid. Reducing our energy consumption during the peak reduces the capacity charge MISO assesses campus for the coming year.

What is the campus doing to prepare for the possibility of future blackouts or brownouts?
Should emergency conditions arise on the regional grid, F&S will utilize established operational strategies and business continuity plans developed to meet the university’s energy needs for all essential services to the campus. Units are advised to review this information to help establish Event Day Action Plans that can be enacted in the future, if necessary. To help establish your unit plans or for questions regarding this initiative, please contact Energy Efficiency and Conservation Specialist Paul Foote, 217-244-1048.

Conserving energy is everyone's responsibility! Thanks for your continued vigilance and partnership in stewarding university resources during these energy alert periods.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Angiel
Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director, Facilities & Services