Due to hot, humid weather, Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. is forecasting high summertime use of electricity today (6/26) and is asking customers to use energy wisely.

Electricity demand has been high since Monday (6/23) on the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection, a regional power pool that includes PP&L. With temperatures expected to reach well into the 90s today, the demand for electricity is expected to be higher than usual.

"We are looking at the possibility of hotter temperatures and increased use of electricity as the day progresses," said Bob Hinkel, manager of PP&L's transmission and distribution operations. "We are asking our customers to use electricity prudently to help prevent problems from arising."

Customers can help the situation by shifting the use of major electric appliances, such as washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers and electric stoves, to early morning or evening hours.

Other measures customers could take to save electricity are:

• Set air conditioner thermostat at 80 degrees or use fans instead.
• Limit the use of electrically heated water.
• Block out daytime sun with drapes and shades to help keep the home cool.
• Don't open refrigerator or freezer doors more than necessary.
• Turn off TV, radio or stereo when no one is watching or listening.

"Following these guidelines will help avoid possible power shortages, but people's primary concern should be their own health and safety during this period of extreme heat," Hinkel said. "Customers should use the electricity they need to avoid the adverse health effects of oppressive heat."

The regional power pool expects to be able to meet customer demands for electricity. Should the situation worsen, however, PJM, through its member companies, such as PP&L, may have to resort to emergency procedures to reduce electricity demand.

Those procedures could include reducing voltage, asking special large industrial customers to curtail use, and making emergency appeals for conservation of electricity to the public.

"At this time, we don't expect to use emergency measures," Hinkel said. "But we will continue to update the public and our customers on the status of this situation."

PJM coordinates the distribution of power for more than 22 million customers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. PP&L supplies power to about 1.2 million customers in central and eastern Pennsylvania.