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This Summer May Bring Record Heat and Electrical Power Demands, But PWP Says “We Got This”

Published on Friday, July 26, 2019 | 4:34 am
 

This spring, no less an authority than the venerable “Farmer’s Almanac” predicted that California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona could expect “sizzling temperatures” this summer.

In doing so, the time-tested Almanac did not exactly go out on a limb. Summers have been getting hotter of late. The last “normal” one was in 2014. Last summer, for its part, was the fourth hottest on record and 2016’s was the fifth hottest.

In years past, regional heatwaves have taxed the state’s power system as air conditioners hummed by the millions, tapping a dwindling power supply, and causing blackouts.

Los Angeles suffered successive days of blackouts in 2018.

Pasadena Water and Power spokeswoman Margie Otto said Pasadena is less vulnerable to such events as the utility’s Glenarm Repowering Plant, “can generate power locally and immediately if our community or state needs it.”

Which is a way of saying Pasadena produces its own power and even has some left over for sale to those who don’t.

“PWP expects to be able to meet customer demands for electricity throughout the summer and during these few days of extra high heat,” said Otto, “assuming there are no unforeseen equipment or generation issues.”

High-temperature events have slowly worked their way into the consciousness of public officials around the world.

In 2003, Europe experienced a staggering heat wave that killed 52,000 people, 15,000 of them in France alone.

In 2010, Russia suffered its most intense heatwave in 130 years as the normal summer average of 75 degrees Farenheight in Moscow soared to over 100 degrees. Fires razed some 2000 homes and 50,000 acres of land. Over 14,000 people died just in Moscow.

About 1,300 people in the United States die from heat waves each year..

So when PWP says “The welfare of our community is paramount during extreme weather conditions,” it is acknowledging these things can kill.

Otto wants you to know that the job of managing heatwave impacts is not PWP’s alone.

“Customers can do their part by deferring the use of their major appliances after 9 p.m.,” she recommended.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has yet to call a “flex alert” for the current conditions, but it looks a lot like what Otto suggested Pasadenans could do in terms of major appliance use.

Flex Alerts are issued when hot weather drives demand to the point where it’s close to exceeding capacity.

CAISO said this usually happens in the evening when solar generation is no longer part of the energy production mix and consumers return home from work to “switch on” their households.

PWP maintains a real-time map of outages at https://ww5.cityofpasadena.net/water-and-power/outage-map

To learn more on how to reduce energy go to PWPweb.com/SaveEnerg, or for electrical and water-related emergency tips, visit: PWPweb.com/EmergencyPrep.

If you experience an outage or need to report other electrical problems, contact the City at (626) 744-4673.

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