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Record California power demand possible by Monday

Posted on: Thursday, 13 July 2006, 14:58 CDT

By Bernie Woodall

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California's power grid could post a new electricity demand record by Monday as air conditioners across the state battle a powerful heat wave, the California Independent System Operator said on Thursday.

The Cal ISO manages the power grid that connects major power lines in the state.

A call for Californians to conserve electricity was expected to be issued later on Thursday in the face of a possible strain on the power grid, said Stephanie McCorkle, spokeswoman for the ISO.

As of midday Thursday, there had been no weather-related outages, McCorkle said.

"New temperature data (are) indicating a warm air mass is pushing up temperatures even more than expected," McCorkle said. "Definitely Friday and Monday we are looking to possibly set new records for peak demand."

The highest demand is expected Monday when the hottest temperatures are forecast in the current heat wave over most of the western United States.

"We have had some load growth since last summer and this is going to be a strong regional heat wave that is driving demand for electricity," McCorkle said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Cal ISO called on generating plants contributing to the state's power grid to restrict plant maintenance from noon until 10 p.m. PDT on Thursday.

The Cal ISO expects peak demand to reach at least 43,675 megawatts on Thursday, which is nearing the record of 45,431 set last July 20, said a Cal ISO spokeswoman.

Friday's peak demand is expected to be at least 45,150 megawatts.

Those peak forecasts are expected to go up later Thursday once the new weather forecasts are factored in, said McCorkle.

Californians will be asked to cut power use by raising thermostats to 78 degrees Fahrenheit when they are home and to at least 80 F -- or turning air-conditioners off altogether -- when they are away.

Homeowners are being asked to avoid running big appliances during the hottest parts of the day.

Weather forecaster Meteorlogix said that in California the highest temperatures in most major cities will be Monday or on the weekend.

In Fresno, Monday's high will be 110 F, 14 F higher than normal. Tuesday's high will be 105 F and Wednesday's, 103 F.

Los Angeles will be 4 degrees F above normal with a high of 78 F on Friday and it will remain in the uppers 70s to low 80s through next Wednesday. In the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, highs will be over 100 F through early next week.

Sacramento will have highs 5 F more than normal on Friday and 12 F higher than the normal on Monday, when it will have a high of 103 F. Tuesday's high will be 100 F and Wednesday's 97

F.

Those forecasted temperatures from Meteorlogix were issued early Thursday before weather experts said the coming warm air mass Friday through Monday will be even hotter than first predicted.

Source: REUTERS

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