East Valley residents urged to conserve power during heat wave
The Imperial Irrigation District is requesting a reduction in energy usage during the critical hours of 1-7 p.m. as hotter temperatures drive energy demand.
If energy usage is not reduced, IID may be forced to institute rolling brownouts this afternoon,” said Marion Champion, IID spokeswoman. “Our system was at peak capacity yesterday and with hotter temperatures in the forecast today we are asking all of our electrical customers to conserve.”
IID’s electrical grid sustained significant damage during a severe summer storm last week, and while the district has restored power to the area, it is important that the energy system is not overtaxed. IID asks customers to shift energy-intensive tasks – like laundry and dish washing – to off-peak hours and conserve energy throughout the day. This will alleviate pressure on the system and help maintain reliability.
“To cut back on power when it’s hot I shut off the AC in my room bedroom so I only use that at night when I go to sleep,” said Madison Holmstrom of Indio.
“We always try to unplug everything that we don’t use at the time, so we just try to limit our electricity use,” said Jordan Banks of Palm Desert.
Southern California Edison is also monitoring weather conditions and has additional crews on standby this weekend.
IID offered the following suggestions to help you conserve energy.
1: Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher.
2: Develop a routine that allows you to avoid the use of major energy-consuming appliances like washers, dryers and dishwashers between the hours of 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
3: Remember to have your air conditioner serviced annually and change filters monthly. Seal any leaks in your cooling ducts, install weather stripping around doors, and make sure your fireplace damper is closed so cool air doesn’t escape
4: Use floor and ceiling fans or an evaporative cooler to help keep your home cool.
5: Use awnings, solar screens, or trees to keep ultraviolet rays from hitting windows.
6: Close windows and doors when the cooling system is running.
For more conservation tips, please visit www.iid.com.
