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BOSTON (State House News Service) - Summertime demand on the New England electrical grid maxed out this year on Sept. 7, the first time since the turn of the millennium that the peak has fallen outside of the June-July-August stretch.
In an email to municipalities and others who signed up for its peak demand notification program, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council said that demand for electricity peaked at 23,475 gigawatts between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sept. 7, a day that saw temperatures surpass 90 degrees with extreme humidity in the atmosphere. Until that day, the summer's peak had been Sept. 6, when demand reached about 22.4 GW. The data comes from grid operator ISO-New England.
Since 2000, there have only been five peaks that did not occur in July or August, and four of them were in June, MAPC said. During peak demand periods, dirtier fuels like oil are pressed into service so reducing demand during those times can have a greater impact on emissions displacement by limiting the use of high-emitting power generators, the organization said.
Electricity demand in New England is highest in the summer when residents and businesses turn to air conditioning to beat the heat and humidity. The grid's peak demand hour typically occurs during the late afternoon or evening in the hot months when air conditioning adds to the electrical load of businesses and homes. But as more homes are heated with electricity, utilities expect that the grid will shift in the 2030s to hit its peak demand on winter mornings.
The all-time record for demand in New England was set on Aug. 2, 2006, when it reached 28.13 GW after a prolonged heat wave, according to ISO-NE.
Written By Colin A. Young/SHNS
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