[Press Release] : Peak alert issued to curtail electric demand

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 9, 2007

CONTACT: Connie Kacprowicz
Public Information Specialist
-or-
Dan Dasho
Director of Water and Light
(573) 874-7325

Peak alert issued to curtail electric
demand				

	(COLUMBIA, MO) - Due to high electric use with the continued hot
weather, Columbia Water and Light has issued a peak warning to request
customers conserve electricity during the afternoon hours on Thursday,
August 9, 2007.
	Peak electrical demand occurs during the hottest days of summer
when electric consumption is critically high. In order for Columbia
Water & Light to avoid purchasing additional electricity when electric
prices are at their highest, the utility tries to reduce demand to keep
rates low. If demand isn’t reduced, it can add millions of dollars to
Columbia’s electric costs.
	Extra power bought on the wholesale electric market during peak
periods is very expensive. When Columbia Water and Light has to purchase
additional electricity at a high rate to meet the demand, rates for
customers might be affected. Normally, the utility can purchase
electricity for $35 to $40 a megawatt hour. Prices during peak use
conditions over the last several days have been running around $150 per
megawatt hour. This week Columbia has stayed below the projected peak of
270 megawatts. The highest peak this week was 262 megawatts on Tuesday.
	Columbia Water and Light has several programs in place to help
control peak loads by lowering demand. Large customers reduced their
electric loads on Wednesday and the utility ran load management switches
on smaller electric systems on Monday and Tuesday. Both the Load
Shedding program and the Load Management program are voluntary programs
the utility has in place to help reduce power costs. The savings are
passed along to the customers for their conservation efforts.  
	Here are a few simple things Columbians can do from noon until 7
p.m. today to keep electric rates low:
●	Set thermostats to 78 degrees and turn up the thermostat to 82
degrees when the building is unoccupied.
●	Close window shades that receive direct sunlight.
●	Delay doing laundry.
●	Postpone using automatic dishwashers and dehumidifiers.
●	Avoid heating up the kitchen by grilling, using the microwave or
preparing a cool meal.
●	Check and change the air conditioning/furnace filter so the unit
can run efficiently.

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