Press Mention WLTX August 17, 2026
SACE Quoted
Fairfield Electric's reduced voltage briefly shut down AC units at multiple Richland Two Schools
In this mention
Fairfield Electric Cooperative reduced voltage on its system during extreme heat, which briefly shut down air conditioning units at five Richland School District Two buildings. The cooperative explained that voltage reduction is a tool to manage peak demand and prevent outages, and that the incident was rare and caused by sensitive monitoring equipment. Eddy Moore of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy endorsed the practice and recommended homeowners improve energy efficiency through better insulation, sealed ductwork, and modern HVAC systems to reduce peak demand.
An efficient home will still be cool in the summer, but it'll use way less energy, so you don't create that peak
Eddy Moore
Full transcript
Fairfield Electric's reduced voltage briefly shut down AC units at multiple Richland Two Schools
Fairfield Electric Cooperative's calls complication at school buildings a rare occurrence.
BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. — Extreme heat and increased energy use recently prompted Fairfield Electric Cooperative to reduce voltage on its system, briefly causing air conditioning units to shut off at five Richland School District Two buildings last week.
Fairfield Electric Cooperative says extreme temperatures can put significant pressure on the power system as energy use peaks. Voltage reductions are one tool the cooperative uses to help manage demand and prevent power outages.
Doug Payne with Fairfield Electric Cooperative said the incident involving the school district was rare and was caused by sensitive monitoring equipment at the buildings.
"A customer should not even know that we are in a voltage reduction stage. They should see no change," Payne said. "In this case, the school district had some sensitive monitoring equipment that tripped the A-C units off during the peak period when we were doing voltage reduction, and they had to reset those."
The cooperative said it has since changed the level of voltage reduction on the circuit serving the school buildings, and there have been no further problems.
"It's a good thing that when there's a system emergency, or nearly a system emergency, that the utility can turn the voltage down a little," said Eddy Moore with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
The cooperative is also asking customers to help reduce demand during peak afternoon hours, when temperatures and energy use are typically highest.
That includes delaying activities such as washing clothes, running the dryer and cooking during peak periods.
"When you have several thousand people doing it, it can have an impact on our system," Payne said.
Moore said homeowners can also reduce energy use by improving the efficiency of their homes.
He said proper insulation, sealed ductwork and a modern HVAC system can help keep homes cool while using less electricity.
"An efficient home will still be cool in the summer, but it'll use way less energy, so you don't create that peak," Moore said.
Fairfield Electric Cooperative said reducing voltage is a reliable option for managing the power system during periods of high demand and can help avoid power outages.