BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — The city of Bowling Green is projecting the highest electric usage of the year on the hottest projected day of the year Wednesday.
So, the city is calling for a Community Energy Savings Day to reduce costs for customers and conserve power for the community's electric grid.
Residents can participate by reducing energy usage between the hours of 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., typically a time of peak demand. Northwest Ohio is expected to hit peak heat today around 4 p.m. with a high of 98 degrees.
Reduced energy usage during this time means demand can be spread more evenly on the network which will reduce the cost of providing energy and the amount of greenhouse gases generated, the city said in a press release.
There are multiple ways residents can conserve energy:
- Shutting off lights when they are not needed
- Unplugging small appliances and electric chargers (especially those with small lights)
- Raising the air conditioner thermostat by one or two degrees
- Closing blinds, curtains and drapes
- Doing laundry and other household chores that may use electricity during times outside the peak demand hours
- Turning off televisions, computers, gaming consoles and other electronic devices when not in use
The city said the electric grid is in good shape and has plenty of power available, but energy demand and usage during peak demand hours affect a portion of the city's electric rates, so conserving energy during these times can save on transmission and capacity costs in the future.
The city projects additional, unspecified dates this summer when temperatures will be high and residents will "most likely" be asked to conserve energy.