Record electricity used as Douglas Shire suffers through hot night
HEATWAVE
The Douglas Shire has sweat through an incredibly hot night with the temperature only dropping to 27 degrees between 4.00 and 5.00 this morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a top temperature of 39 degrees today with readings from the Low Isle Lighthouse recording 35 degrees as of 10.00am.
The Far North region of Queensland recorded a new peak electricity load last night as residents turned on their air-conditioners to find relief from the heat.
The Far North’s new record peak load of 384.1 megawatts was recorded at 7.00pm last night.
The previous record was 371.9MW at 7.12pm on Saturday, 17 February 2016, when the region had a high of 33 degrees and a low of 27. ?
Ergon Energy’s northern Network Operations Manager, Matt Rigano, said about 30 to 40 per cent of the peak load could be attributed to air-conditioning use.
“On days and nights like this we find demand soars when people come home from work and school and switch on their air-conditioners and other appliances,” he said.
“We have a resilient network, which copes well with record electricity consumption in extreme temperatures.
“During the day and into the evening the control centre and field crews have been actively switching the network around to ensure we maintain the safest and most reliable configuration.”
To ensure the power stays on during these peak demand times, Ergon Energy suggest customers follow these tips:
• The most efficient temperature to run an air conditioner at is 25 degrees.
• Check you air-con filters are clean. A dirty filter can make the appliance work much harder than it should.
• Use a clothes line instead of a dryer.
• Run the dishwasher outside of the peak demand hours of 4pm to 8pm.
• Consider cooking on a gas BBQ outside instead of an electric stove.
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