PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — With temperatures near 100 degrees expected through Saturday, the region's electrical grid operator is warning that power usage is getting close to its threshold for reliability tests.
PJM Interconnection, the nation's largest power grid operator, says tests show the grid can operate in excess of 163,000 Megawatts at any given moment. The company expects to get dangerously close to that figure as customers in the region tap into an estimated 154,000 Megawatts to run fans and air conditioners.
PJM spokesperson Susan Buehler says she is confident the grid can keep up.
“We are ready, and we feel prepared for the hot weather,” she said Thursday.
“When the heat of the day is really set in, there's a peak of electricity demand. Again, we don't anticipate having any issues. We do think we have enough power, and we're working with our generators and our PECO neighbors to make sure that we can operate through the heat wave.”
PECO, PSE&G and Atlantic City Electric all work closely with PJM to operate the grid. PECO and PSE&G issued statements confirming that they are prepared to meet electricity demand during the current heat wave.
Atlantic City Electric said investments in its local energy grid have resulted in 56% fewer power outages over the last 10 years. In light of PJM's hot weather alert, the utility has stopped work on non-emergency projects that would take sections of the grid offline.
The World Meteorological Organization says this July is the hottest month on record, and that tracks according to PJM's predictions about power usage this summer.
The grid operator expects the peak demand for power over the entire summer to be about 156,000, which is about 7,000 more than last year.
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Energy-saving tips
With high heat and increased electrical demand comes higher utility bills. PECO shares these energy- and money-saving tips.
Turn it off: Turn off all unnecessary lighting and devices.
Manage your thermostat: Keep thermostats at a constant, comfortable level when at home. Raise the thermostat setting for days of extreme heat to save even more. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home's temperature settings when you're away or sleeping.
Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed: About 40% of unwanted heat comes through windows. Simply closing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation, can reduce heat in your home.
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Use ceiling fans to circulate air: For those without air conditioning, use ceiling fans or portable fans with the windows partially open to circulate fresh air into your home. For those with air conditioning, fans can be used to evenly distribute cool air.
Use appliances wisely: Run appliances that produce heat (such as clothes dryers, ovens and dishwashers) at night when it is cooler.
Service your air conditioner: Make sure to replace or clean the air filters for your cooling system at least once a month (or as often as recommended by the manufacturer) and have your system serviced regularly.
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