Record Power Demand Sweeps the United States
The United States has seven regional independent operators of electrical grids, stretching from California to New England, and every one of them experienced record power demand last week. A press release from a group representing the seven regional grid operators notes that the peak power demands reached a level that was 0.9 percent to 4.5 percent higher than in 2005. According to the group, regional grid operators reported a new aggregated peak record of electricity usage of 483,233 megawatts during the extreme heat and high humidity, a full 7,500 megawatts above last year's peak. Despite the high electrical loads, the grid operators were able to maintain adequate reserve margins to avoid rolling blackouts. See the press release on the Midwest Independent System Operator Web site.
