A first method includes determining if a sum of the transmit powers of individual component carriers is less than a maximum user equipment transmit power, adjusting the transmit power of one or more of the component carriers if the sum of the transmit powers of the individual component carriers is not less than the maximum user equipment transmit power, and transmitting the component carriers to a network access node. A second method includes identifying a component carrier with minimum transmit power and a component carrier with a maximum transmit power, calculating a power difference, determining if the power difference is greater than a predetermined maximum power difference and, if it is, increasing the transmit power of the component carrier with minimum transmit power by a first amount and decreasing the transmit power of the component carrier with the maximum transmit power by a second amount.