Posted on 01/15/2008 9:10:51 AM PST by goldstategop
As the country contends with a cold wave that has left at least two people dead from hypothermia, Israel Electric reported this week that demand for electricity hit an all-time winter high of 9,900 megawatts late Sunday evening.
This prompted fears among consumers that IE may initiate a series of rolling blackouts to prevent the power system from shutting down.
"I have a newborn baby at home and the thought of losing power in this cold weather is very unnerving," said one IE customer.
Caught off-guard by an early wave of extremely hot weather in June 2006, IE was compelled to initiate a series of intentional blackouts to protect the power system from shutting down due to a spike in demand and insufficient capacity.
IE spokeswoman Yael Ne'eman said the company had learned its lesson from 2006 and took the appropriate steps to try and ensure that it won't happen again.
"Recently we have began a campaign to provide our consumers with tips on how to save energy, through television commercials, radio advertisements and with pieces of advice included in monthly electricity bills," she said.
Included among IE's tips is the recommendation to not set home thermostats above 20 degrees Celsius, as every degree higher forces the unit to work 5 percent harder.
The previous high for electricity demand in the winter came two years ago, peaking at 9,450 MW. The all-time high demand, winter and summer, was set this past July, topping 10,070 MW.
Following the blackouts of 2006, the National Infrastructures Ministry appointed a committee to investigate the causes of the power shortages. It determined that the blackouts took place when several power plants were taken off-line for the company's annual Spring maintenance.
"Coming out of those meetings, we made sure to schedule the maintenance of our power plants before the very cold and hot weather arrives so that we can avoid any situations where we may be faced with having to shut down any part of the system," Ne'eman said.
According to the ministry, all maintenance done to the country's power plants adheres to predicted weather patterns.
Additionally, the ministry has initiated a campaign among the country's manufacturers to encourage them to cut down on energy usage during peak hours in exchange for reduced rates during the rest of the year.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Gee, I know the solution - cut the Palis off. They ain’t payin’ their power bills anyway!
IW alert!!! (Imperfect Weather) Man made.
Oh..wooopes. It is snowing in Indiana and 18 degrees.
Was ALGORE full of s**t??
Looks like the IE has the green bug.
Plus, the snow in Baghdad. Goreball Warming Red Alert!
Please get with the program. It is now global climate change. Any unusual weather is evidence of our impending doom unless we succumb to massive socialism. Anything that is not desirable is evidence about the need for massive socialism.
9 degrees in Flagstaff, AZ this AM. Longest spell of single digit lows on record. Global Warming . . . yup.
The article begs the question. Are there any plans to increase capacity? And if not, why not?
Ezekiel 39:
9 “ ‘Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up—the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel.
10 They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Warmed up considerably in Fairbanks. -18 now. Villages reporting -55 or so, mostly in the west, north, south, east, and central regions.
~~Anthropogenic Global Warming ™ ping~~
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