Pacific Power prepares for summer heat, urges customers to conserve energy during peak usage periods

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As Oregon heads into the first heat wave of the season this week, Pacific Power is encouraging customers to prepare for seasonal temperatures.  

“More electricity is used by our customers during the summer season than at any other time of the year,” said Curt Mansfield, Pacific Power's senior vice president of power delivery. “We encourage customers to take steps now to manage their energy use and take advantage of incentives to increase energy efficiency at home.” 

Pacific Power says it relies on a diverse mix of available energy resources to meet peak hour needs during the summer, and the company is well-positioned to meet summer customer demand. 

During hot weather, Pacific Power also takes steps each day to keep electric service reliable for its customers by monitoring daily which substations and circuits have the highest use and addressing any issues immediately.  

The demand for electricity typically reaches its highest point on a hot summer weekday afternoon, generally from about 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., when power is needed to operate the summertime irrigation systems and air conditioners. 

Customers can help decrease the strain on the electrical grid and save on power bills by taking some simple steps to reduce energy usage:  

• Limit energy usage between 5 and 9 p.m. whenever possible.
• Set the thermostat on central air conditioning at 78 degrees or higher, health permitting.
• Turn off lights, computers, televisions, and appliances when you are not using them.
• Open windows in the cool of the evening and again in early morning to let in cool air. Use the intake setting on window fans to help bring in even more cool air.
• Keep air moving inside your home with ceiling, window, attic and portable fans.

For more information about energy efficiency and outage preparedness, visit PacificPower.net/Prepare