By the time I get where you are, there won't be any juice to power the net :>)
But not to worry, prices coming down :>)
Message 21546791
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Regional power grid operator reports largest-ever peak load
ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press
Posted on Tue, Jul. 26, 2005
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Regional power grid operator PJM Interconnection LLC said it set a world record Tuesday afternoon with a peak load of about 135,000 megawatts - enough to power 108 million homes under normal conditions.
"It was the largest load ever dispatched," said PJM spokesman Ray Dotter.
PJM coordinates the movement of electricity between 13 states ranging from Illinois to North Carolina, serving about 51 million people.
"We had adequate generation available, and we didn't have to do anything particularly special, other than working very hard," Dotter said. "There was no call for conservation or anything."
The next largest regional transmission organizations serve France and the Tokyo region in Japan, but both have peak loads of fewer than 100,000 megawatts, Dotter said.
One megawatt is enough electricity to power about 800 homes.
"Today we were in very good shape, and have been over the last couple weeks when usage has been around 130,000 megawatts," Dotter said by telephone from PJM's Valley Forge, Pa., headquarters. "That's very high."
PJM had earlier forecast a summer peak usage of 131,300 megawatts, but expected to have 165,640 megawatts of generating capacity available.
The high electricity usage could further fuel demand for Appalachian coal, as about half of the country's electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants. West Virginia is the country's second-largest coal producer.
The previous peak for the same geographical region was 130,309 megawatts in 2002, according to PJM.
"Moving into (Wednesday) everything should be fine," Dotter said. "Usage should be down because temperatures are expected to cool down. It may not be cool, but temperatures should be lower."
PJM coordinates the movement of electricity in all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia
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