With heavy loads expected, PJM issues initial alert Thursday

By the OGJ Online Staff HOUSTON, June 28 -- The grid operator for the mid-Atlantic states issued a maximum emergency generation alert Thursday as hot temperatures gripped the region driving up electricity demand. The alert is the initial step in its emergency procedures before the PJM Interconnection Inc. proceeds to a series of warnings. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory with a health warning particularly for the elderly and young children. PPL Electric Utilities, a unit of PPL Corp., Allentown, Pa., and Peco Energy Co., Philadelphia, Pa., asked customers to use power wisely during peak hours, especially air conditioning. Despite the heavy load, Robert M. Geneczko, vice-president of power delivery for PPL Electric Utilities, a unit of PPL Corp., Allentown, Pa., said PJM is expecting power supplies to be sufficient to meet Thursday's record demand. PECO said power supply appears adequate with a comfortable reserve within the PJM Interconnection, not considering any unanticipated loss of major generation locally. Other regions of the country, such as New York, New England, and the Midwest, are not experiencing extreme weather conditions and extra power could be available from those areas if needed, PECO said. PECO, a unit of Exelon Corp,, Chicago, said demand on its system is expected to peak at 7,377 Mw Thursday, topping Wednesday's peak by 300 Mw PECO said it delivered 137.4 million kw-hr of electricity during the 24- hour period Wednesday for its 1.5 million customers. Wednesday's peak demand for electricity and the total electric send out reached the highest levels for the year. Yet, the all-time record set July 6, 1999 is not considered in jeopardy this week, PECO said. The record output for a day 2 years ago was greater than 163 million kw-hr. PECO said it will actively track customer demand for electricity throughout the day and monitor transmission and distribution systems. The utility said it is especially critical during peak demand conditions for power directors to closely monitor demand and load conditions and ensure proper voltage and power quality on the local delivery network

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-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), June 29, 2001