June 20, 2008
LADWP Urges Customers To Conserve
LOS ANGELES – As summer officially begins today in the midst of a heatwave, the demand for energy is climbing toward an all-time high for the city, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announced. Yesterday’s energy peak reached 5856 megawatts, and was the second highest load in June. Today’s peak demand is expected to reach or exceed the record of 6165 megawatts, set on July 24, 2006.
While the LADWP has enough power to meet the city’s needs, extraordinary demand during prolonged hot temperatures puts a tremendous strain on the city’s electrical distribution equipment. Customers are asked to do their part by cutting back on energy usage. For its part, the LADWP’s crews remain prepared to respond to any outages. As of 2 p.m., less than 60 out 1.4 million customers were experiencing outages.
“We’re asking all residents and business owners to cut back on energy consumption this afternoon, to the extent that they can do so without jeopardizing their health or safety,” said David Nahai, LADWP CEO and General Manager. “There are simple steps that we all can take to conserve, such as adjusting the thermostat to 78 degrees, and replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps. We’re also reminding customers of the importance of cutting back on water use.”
Nahai adds that the LADWP has a number of incentives and programs to help residents and businesses save water, energy and money on bills. “Our customers can receive rebates on purchases of new energy efficient appliances, and those who qualify for the low income discount rate may qualify for a free refrigerator of they turn in their old, inefficient model.”
Simple steps to conserve energy include:
- Run clothes washers, dishwashers and other appliances in the evening, when the weather is cooler and demand is lower.
Replace your home’s incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to save energy and money. - Turn off lights when not in use.
- Adjust thermostat to 78 degrees or higher to reduce energy usage.
- Limit the use of appliances during peak hours of the day – use washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and other heavy appliances during evening hours.
- Try to avoid cooking during peak hours of the day since it will add to the heat inside the home.
- Ventilate your home at night by opening windows and doors to clear out the heat and allow cooler air to circulate.
- Plant shade trees to keep your home cool and to decrease water runoff.
- Replace older appliances with energy-saving products including refrigerators, air conditions, pool pumps, clothes washers and dryers.
For more energy-saving tips and information about LADWP rebates on energy efficient products, please visit http://www.ladwp.com/.
The Department also reminds its elderly and disabled customers to put their personal health and welfare first and always stay cool when outdoor temperatures heat up. “No elderly or disabled customer should feel they cannot run their air conditioning because of financial hardship. Power costs in Los Angeles are quite low and the LADWP has elderly and low-income discount programs that can reduce a customer’s bill by as much as an additional 30%. These customers should call us to make sure they are receiving the lowest possible rate for their electricity. We will also work with customers who need to pay their bill over a period of time due to adverse economic conditions, Nahai said.”
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the nation’s largest municipal utility, provides reliable, low-cost water and power services to Los Angeles residents and businesses in an environmentally responsible manner. LADWP services about 1.4 million electric customers and 680,000 water customers in Los Angeles. For more saving tips and energy and water saving program information, please visit www.ladwp.com or call 1-800-Green-LA. LADWP’s Customer Service team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to customer’s needs at 1-800-DIAL-DWP.
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