Extreme heat pushes Progress Energy to demand record

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The extreme heat this week has every one looking for a way to keep cool, and it pushed a power company to a new record.

Progress Energy Carolinas says its customers set a peak electricity demand record Thursday, as heat indices of up to 115 degrees had air conditioners churning through the afternoon and evening.

In the hour ending at 5 p.m., customers used 12,738 megawatt-hours (MWh), or 12.7 million kilowatt-hours, of electricity. The hourly demand eclipsed the prior record of 12,656 MWh, set Aug. 9, 2007.

Progress Energy Carolinas does not anticipate record-setting demand on Friday. Nor does the company anticipate problems meeting customer demand during this period of high temperatures. Cooler temperatures are forecast next week.