BOISE, Idaho — During this scorching stretch of weather, heat records aren't the only records that are expected to be broken. Idaho Power said it's "very likely" it will pass its all-time record for electricity usage this week.
The previous max usage record was set June 28 - June 30, 2021. The high temperatures for those days were 103, 105 and 104 degrees respectively. Our temperatures are expected to be hotter than the 2021 stretch, with Wednesday's record-high temperature at 108 degrees, and forecast highs for the next two days around 105 degrees.
"I think it's very likely that we could set a new record this week, our old record was 3,751 megawatts we set back in 2021. So, it's been a while since we've hit a new peak," Idaho Power Communications Specialist Brad Bowlin said.
Bowlin added the increase in population and the prolonged, intense heat are factors for the extra usage. Idaho Power elaborated the biggest draws for electricity this time of year are air conditioning and pumping water for irrigation. Farmers pump water from aquifers or other reservoirs to their crops.
Idaho Power said its focus is on making sure it has enough generation resources to satisfy customers' needs.
In 2021, when the current record usage was set, Idaho Power was asking people to conserve energy to lessen the stress on the grid. But, it's not making the same ask this time around.
"We've got additional solar, there's batteries. Some of the work that we've done on strengthening the grid has made some things more reliable," Bowlin said. "We've made some upgrades at some of our hydro plants to squeeze a little bit more power out of those. So, we do have additional resources to help us cover this additional load."
Idaho Power said it could deploy programs to reduce demand during peak hours (4 p.m. - 10 p.m.), if needed. But Bowlin added you may want to conserve power just to keep your bill lower. He suggested tips like closing the blinds during the day to keep the heat out and turning up your thermostat a few degrees until it's time for bed.
If you'd like to learn about additional tips, Idaho Power has a comprehensive list on how you can conserve power.
Amidst the expected new record and the exceptionally hot temperatures, Idaho Power crews are working very hard to make sure the lights – and more importantly – the AC stay on.
"It's real busy. When I call over to our load serving operations to get an update, they're pretty quick with me on the phone, because they've got a lot of work to do," Bowlin said. "They're monitoring real-time weather, they're monitoring our system in terms of all of our generation resources. They're also monitoring our regional grid."
"They've got a lot of balls in the air that they're juggling constantly," Bowlin continued. "For the most part, electricity has to be generated in real time as it's being used. So, they have to respond to those increases in demand, and then back off later as demand falls off."
Bowlin reiterated the resources as they are now enough to support the current demand. If some of those resources became unavailable, Idaho Power would ask people to conserve energy. Idaho Power customers would be informed of that through the utility company's website, text messages and other various channels.
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