Colorado Springs Utilities electric demand rising into summer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - The demand for electricity is expected to rise in the coming months for Colorado Springs Utilities amidst extreme heat forecasts across the nation. As of Friday, temperatures in Colorado Springs are expected to reach near 100 degrees in the coming days and droughts are affecting hydroelectric generation in the west. Nonetheless, Colorado Springs Utilities expects to be able to handle the demand curve ahead.

“There certainly can be incidents on our distribution system where a power pole gets hit or a line goes down and there are short term outages,” says Alex Baird, the Springs Utilities Energy Portfolio Manager. “But from a macro perspective, wholesale, we are looking at sufficient supply on the grid, and from our power plants, to meet our customer’s demand this upcoming summer.”

Baird is optimistic about meeting any possible surging demand this summer, but with rising costs expected, every day ways of conserving energy are a must.

“So we would just continue to encourage energy efficiency, uh using your appliances off peak hours, and overall trying to lower your net usage of electricity to help offset those rising costs,” Baird adds.

Peak energy hours are usually around four or five in the afternoon every day, and little steps can both save on electric bills, and lessen the load on supply grids. Fuel and natural gas prices are also expected to rise over the winter season.

For more tips on energy efficiency in Colorado Springs this summer, click here.

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