Progress Energy Carolinas Customers Asked to Lower Electricity Usage
August 20 2007 - 12:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- High August heat
continues today, and with tight electricity supply throughout the
region, Progress Energy Carolinas is asking its customers to curb
non-essential use of electricity until 9 p.m. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c )
Customers set a peak-demand record Aug. 9, using 12,647
megawatt-hours (MWh) between 3 and 4 p.m. That eclipsed a record
set July 27, 2005. Last week's demand was high but did not eclipse
the record. Today's heat and humidity are not expected to set a
record, but usage will be close to record levels, and generation
supplies throughout the region are near capacity. The company
encourages customers to turn off unnecessary lights and avoid using
dishwashers, washing machines and dryers and performing other
chores involving electrical equipment until after 9 p.m., when
customer demand typically subsides. Reducing individual use of
non-essential electricity will help ensure that there are no
demand-related outages. Industrial and commercial customers are
also asked to reduce power use, as are residents of communities
whose municipal power system or electric cooperative is served by
Progress Energy Carolinas. Progress Energy conducts continuous
planning to ensure the company's ability to meet customer demand
even during peaks of record demand. The company's load-management
plan, filed with the N.C. Utilities Commission, includes several
levels of actions to deal with changing electric system conditions.
As the situation warrants, actions can escalate from voluntary
curtailment of non-essential electricity use by customers to
systemwide voltage reductions and, in extreme circumstances,
rotating available power. At this time, the company does not
anticipate having to implement extreme measures in response to the
heat wave. Using energy wisely is always important -- on hot days
and every day. Progress Energy offers customers many no-cost and
low-cost ways to lower energy use and save money on the company's
Web site, http://www.savethewatts.com/ . Among those tips are the
following: -- For central air conditioning systems, keep the fan
switch on your thermostat in the "auto" position when cooling. This
gives you better cooling and humidity control. Having the fan
switch "on" continuously could cost an extra $25 a month on your
electric bill. -- Set the thermostat a little higher. Most people
can be comfortable with a setting of 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit, plus
you'll save up to 7 percent of your cooling costs for each degree
above 78. -- Use a ceiling fan or portable fan to supplement your
air conditioning. A fan can make you feel three to four degrees
cooler (and only costs a half-cent per hour to operate) so you can
set your thermostat a few degrees higher and save on cooling costs.
-- When you leave home, turn off the ceiling fans and set the
thermostat up a few degrees. -- Clean or change your filters
monthly. Dirty filters can increase operating costs by 20 percent.
Don't block registers and vents with furniture or drapes. -- Close
blinds, drapes and shades during the hottest part of the day. This
keeps the sun's rays from heating your home. -- Use your microwave
oven to cook food. Microwaves use less than one-half the power of
conventional ovens and they don't heat up your kitchen. -- Caulk,
seal and weather strip all openings from your home to the outside.
Eliminating air leaks in your home can save you up to 10 percent in
energy costs. Progress Energy, headquartered in Raleigh, is a
Fortune 250 energy company with more than 21,000 megawatts of
generation capacity and $10 billion in annual revenues. The company
includes two major utilities that serve more than 3.1 million
customers in the Carolinas and Florida. Progress Energy is the 2006
recipient of the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the
industry's highest honor, in recognition of its operational
excellence. The company also is the first utility to receive the
prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for customer
service. Progress Energy serves two fast-growing areas of the
country, and the company is pursuing a balanced approach to meeting
the future energy needs of the region. That balance includes
increased energy efficiency programs, investments in renewable
energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system. For
more information about Progress Energy, visit the company's Web
site at http://www.progress-energy.com/ .
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Progress Energy CONTACT:
24-hour media line, +1-877-641-6397 or +1-919-546-6189 Web site:
http://www.progress-energy.com/
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