Business & Tech

Connecticut Heat Wave Taxing Region's Power Supply

The demand for electricity could come close to breaking a record this week.

The grinding heat and humidity that are expected to last into the weekend could tax New England's power supplies and set a record for electricity demands. 

As folks in the state turn their air conditioners lower to beat the heat New England's electrical grid operator reports that demand for power could come close to breaking a seven-year record.

Marci Blomberg, a spokesman for ISO-New England, which operates the region's power grid, told the Connecticut Mirrorthere will be enough power to meet demand during this week's heat wave, but that the company may need to buy more power and even ask businesses to reduce their usage.

The last record set for power demand on the grid was 28,130 megawatts in August of 2006, the Mirror reports. Blomberg told the website it could hit 27,900 megawatts by Thursday.

Temperatures across the state are forecast to remain in the mid- to high-90s through Saturday, the National Weather Service says. 

"A large subtropical dome of hot air will expand across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and to the Midwest this week bringing a long duration heat wave to the area. Temperatures will soar through the 90s with heat indices well over 100 degrees," the NWS reports. 

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