BOISE, Idaho — People across southern Idaho and eastern Oregon used more electricity than ever before. Idaho Power said their preliminary data shows they broke the record for power demand on Monday.
The new record is 3,792 megawatts (MW). Idaho Power said this benchmark was hit between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday, July 22. But the preliminary data also showed the previous record was broken in 3 separate hours last night.
- 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.: 3,754 MW
- 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.: 3,792 MW
- 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.: 3,762 MW
The previous record was set on June 30, 2021 at 3,751 MW. At that time, Idaho Power was asking people to conserve energy to lessen the stress on the grid. But, they're 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," Idaho Power Communications Specialist Brad 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."
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.
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.