As summer temperatures settle into our area, I’d like to remind our members that reducing the strain on our electric grid during times of high demand is up to all of us.

In our area, peak energy use times are typically between 4-9 p.m., the hottest parts of the day and when most people are returning home from work. When everyone runs their air conditioning or other appliances at once, it puts extreme pressure on an aging grid – parts of which are more than 100 years old.

How weather impacts the grid
As climate patterns shift and extreme weather events increase, the grid faces new pressures to meet our growing energy demands. The systems we depend on were built to withstand the typical weather conditions of that time, but today, extreme weather is the number one cause of outages in the U.S., accounting for 80% of major power outages.

Extreme weather impacts the grid in several ways. Sometimes, power is still being produced, but it can’t reach homes because power lines are downed or damaged by fallen trees and debris during storms. At other times, when demand spikes during heat waves or winter storms, the grid can become overwhelmed, leading to controlled power interruptions or outages as supply struggles to meet the increased energy demands.

While extreme weather is one source of our growing energy demand, development and technology are also increasing the demand for energy. Nationwide, this demand is projected to rise 15-20% over the next decade, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Significant factors impacting this growth include the rise of artificial intelligence and its expanding data centers, cloud storage, communication tools and much more. The energy industry is working tirelessly to ensure the power grid meets these ever-growing challenges and provides a more resilient and sustainable energy system that supports affordability and reliability.

What you can do
While the challenges facing the power grid are significant, there are steps we can all take to reduce strain and contribute to a more reliable energy system:

• Run high-energy appliances during off-peak hours – before 4 p.m. or after 9 p.m.
• Raise your thermostat a few degrees, especially when you are not home.
• Turn off all lights during the day or in empty rooms.
• Supplement air conditioner use with ceiling fans to keep cool.

Even small changes can make a big difference to our energy grid!

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Cozy Nelsen, Guthrie County REC - CEO