Heat’s on for conservation

Things were getting a bit warm under all those white collars at Avista Corp. Monday afternoon.

Workers at company headquarters were asked to dim the lights and draw the shades to cover all those south facing windows. The Spokane utility, which earlier in the day issued a conservation plea, even eased up on the air conditioning.

Spokesman Hugh Imhof said the office temperature was 78 degrees and climbing during the brunt of the afternoon heat wave gripping most of the West.

“Yeah, we’re doing exactly what we’re asking others to do,” he said.

If the heat is unpleasant, wait until the cooling bill arrives. Avista is urging restraint so that it doesn’t have to buy extra electricity on the spot market. Electricity purchased during the peak hours of 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. was fetching top dollar – in some cases 15 times more than average. These are costs that will ultimately show up in the bills of ratepayers who don’t turn down the air conditioning.

The hot weather also exposed a problem with at least one renewable source of power: The giant windmills that normally spin to generate power aren’t moving much as the hot air arrived with nary a breeze for relief.

The triple-digit temperatures are expected to slip back into the 90s this week.

Meanwhile, Spokane-area hospitals reported treating a modest number of heat-related injuries over the weekend.

Valley Medical Center treated four people for sunburns and Deaconess Medical Center treated four people, three hurt in accidents and one having trouble with fluid retention. Those numbers are comparable to injuries during other summer weekends, said a hospital spokeswoman.

Back at Avista, the utility is urging customers to turn off unnecessary appliances.

Record heat has caused electricity supplies to be stretched thin over the last few days. As a result, the utility is asking people to reduce use of air conditioners and other large appliances, such as washing machines, dryers and dishwashers.

“Power demand throughout the West is extremely high,” spokeswoman Catherine Markson said.

Markson said there was no imminent danger of blackouts or other system failures. Electricity demand averages about 1,000 megawatts per hour, and today’s demand is exceeding 1,700 megawatts, Markson said. Last year’s peak demand was 1,660 megawatts per hour, she said.

A megawatt is enough electricity to power roughly 650 homes.

The National Weather Service predicts a slight cooling trend, but temperatures across the Inland Northwest are expected to remain in the mid- to high-90s through the week.