TOLEDO, Ohio — The mid-June heat wave is causing not only the temperatures to rise, but concern for energy grids, too.
FirstEnergy spokesperson Lauren Siburkis said the electric utility company had already started preparing for severe weather like this about a year ago.
"We've done a ton of inspections on our equipment using both visual inspections and infrared technology so that we can see potential issues on our equipment and on our power lines that aren't visible to the naked eye," Siburkis said.
She added that the company even used helicopters to get a bird's eye view of any potential problem spots with the grids. towers or lines.
The increase in demand for power to homes and businesses likely won't cause a failure, Siburkis said. But she advises customers still avoid excessive electricity usage because it could cost them more.
"Those heat-producing appliances will heat up your home. This makes your (air conditioner) work harder and in turn, you're using more electricity," Siburkis said.
The city of Bowling Green is asking residents to participate in an energy savings day, where people draw their blinds and curtains, raise the thermostat a few degrees and choose to do certain electrical activities earlier or later in the day.
Siburkis agreed that it's best to do these practices to help keep the house cool since power outages don't just happen on FirstEnergy's end.
"Say there's a car accident in your area and it knocks out power. It's very hot outside and you don't want to be without power for very long," she said. "Even if it's not a heat-related outage, doing these tips to keep your home cool during the day, will help keep that home cool."