PHOENIX — Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project are asking its customers to voluntarily conserve power Wednesday as the ongoing heatwave is creating record-breaking demand for electricity.
APS said Wednesday that it is a step the company is taken "out of an abundance of caution in how we manage the grid, balance supplies and prepare for contingencies – it is not due to any shortages we expect in meeting our customers’ needs."
SRP said Wednesday that the company is also asking customers to save power.
The companies listed three ways to conserve power during peak hours, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.:
- Raise thermostat settings to no lower than 80 degrees.
- Turn off extra lights and avoid use of discretionary major appliances such as clothes washers, dryers and dishwashers.
- Avoid the operation of pool pumps.
APS, the state’s largest utility provider, says Tucson Electric Power made a similar request for southeast Arizona residents.
SRP is asking its customers to save power through 9 p.m. and said the ongoing Salt Fire damaged one of the company's transition lines.
Massive demand for electricity across the southwest U.S. is straining power providers. Millions of California residents saw periodic blackouts last week as temperatures soared above 100 degrees.
Meanwhile, Phoenix smashed yet another daily heat record on Tuesday with a high of 115. APS says demand for power reached 7,659 megawatts on July 30, beating a record set in the summer of 2017.
APS has over 1.2 million customers across the state.
Customers can find more ways to conserve energy online at aps.com or srpnet.com.
