MidAmerican asks customers to save energy
As temperatures in the Quad-Cities soared Monday, so did the demand for electricity — so much that MidAmerican Energy Co. reported a new all-time peak demand.
For the second time in two weeks, MidAmerican set a record for electricity usage as the peak demand hit 4,310 megawatts during the day. Company spokesman Allan Urlis said the peak number, while preliminary, was 2.5 percent higher than the record 4,200 megawatts recorded two weeks ago on July 17.
The utility also put out a request for customers to voluntarily conserve energy.
Part of the increase, Urlis said, is because MidAmerican is serving 8,000 more customers than it did last year at this time. “In comparing between this Monday and two weeks ago, it’s warmer than it was two weeks ago when we look at the entire service area.”
MidAmerican serves about 618,000 customers in Iowa as well as 84,000 in Illinois and 4,000 in South Dakota.
“On the weekends we don’t get into peak demands because we don’t have all the industry and commercial buildings that are operating during the week,” Urlis said.
MidAmerican has sufficient generating capacity to meet its maximum demand — plus a reserve margin. But customers are being asked to reduce energy usage wherever possible in order to help manage their own energy costs and to limit the utility’s need to buy additional power on the open market, the company stated.
Urlis said customers wondering what impact the peak demand will have on their bill need to know “the cost per unit is lower today than in 1995.” In fact, he said, rates have been set through the year 2010.
In addition to a new peak demand record, MidAmerican also initiated its two load-reduction programs Monday. Offered exclusively to its Iowa customers, the voluntary programs are aimed at helping manage spikes in demand.
For residential customers, the SummerSaver program controls the use of central air conditioners during peak demand periods. A small device attached to a customer’s home near the central air conditioner or air-source heat pump allows MidAmerican to remotely cycle the air conditioner’s compressor on and off every 15 minutes between 2 and 7 p.m.
Urlis said Monday marked the fifth time already this year that MidAmerican has initiated the program. “We had 13 days all of last year. … If we continue on this trend, we could easily hit 13 again,” he added.
About 56,000 Iowans participate in the program, which gives them a $40 rebate in the first year and a $30 rebate in subsequent years. Participation continues to grow, he said, adding that about 51,000 people were involved in SummerSaver two years ago.
The second energy-saving program, known as curtailment, reduces energy use by industrial and commercial customers. The voluntary program involves about 135 Iowa companies. Monday marked the third time this year that it has been initiated.
“They voluntarily agree to have their power disrupted or have the power turned off when we get peak demands,” he said. Traditionally, the power is disrupted from 1 to 6 p.m.
“In some cases, the businesses take the savings and invest it in back-up generation,” he added.
Both energy-saving programs have been in place since the early 1990s.
MidAmerican was not the only Quad-City area utility dealing with the impact of scorching heat and humidity on Monday.
Water usage has been on the rise in the Quad-Cities, probably due to customers irrigating their lawns more in hopes of keeping the grass alive or from going dormant, said Lisa Reisen, Iowa-American Water Company’s communications manager.
The higher customer demand may be to blame for some water main breaks that have kept crews busy the past few days, she said. A main break occurred about 9:30 a.m. Monday at 5th and Harrison streets in Davenport, but it was repaired by afternoon.
“Higher customer demand means higher pumpages and higher water pressure. That can contribute to a main break, but there’s no way to really know,” she said.
What Iowa-American does know is that usage this year is well below a year ago when the utility was asking customers to conserve water because of a summer-long drought. “Last year we were nearing capacity of our plant and asking people to conserve,” Reisen said.
Iowa-American pumped an estimated 655 million gallons of water last month, which compared with 831 million gallons in July 2005, she added. The company serves the Iowa Quad-City area as well as Clinton.
Jennifer DeWitt can be contacted at (563) 383-2318 or jdewitt@qctimes.com.
Cooling centers offered IN Q-C
Those in need of heat relief can access the air-conditioned John Lewis Community Services Day Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1016 W. 5th St., Davenport.
Also, the John Lewis street outreach staff will continue providing cold water to any person in need in the downtown Davenport area and offer invitations to come into where it is cool.
For those experiencing heat-related critical needs, transportation can be provided by calling (563) 322-3751 to be brought to the day center.
Other sites include:
The Moline Township Town Hall is open to anyone who would like to get out of the heat during daytime hours. It is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 620 18th St., Moline. The township will continue to keep the hall open until there is a break in the heat wave. People can bring a book to read or a hobby to work on at tables that are available.
Genesis Medical Center is providing cooling stations at its three hospital campuses in the Quad-Cities. The cooling stations opened Monday in physician office buildings and will be available today and Wednesday.
The cooling station locations are Interconnect Lounge, located between Medical Office Building 1 and Medical Office Building 2, Genesis Medical Center, East Rusholme St., Davenport; Annunciata Room, Genesis Medical Center, West Central Park St., Davenport; Larson Center atrium, Genesis Medical Center-Illini Campus, Silvis. The cooling stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will have ice water, television, puzzles and games available.