| July 2012 |
|
Sincerely,
LAST UPDATED 7/31/12 |
summer would be a
mild one. Well, as it turns out, that was wishful thinking. In
mid-July, we already had more than 20 days with highs reaching 100
degrees.
Summertime is filled with outdoor activities, recreation and work. My son, Matthew, and daughter,
Jennifer, both have been out in this heat at the softball diamonds a lot this summer. I’m sure they get
tired of me telling them to drink plenty of water, but staying hydrated is extremely important in this heat.
The summer heat has also contributed to higher power costs. Hydropower is our lowest-priced power source and this summer’s drought reduced the amount of power we are receiving from the reservoirs.
“The drought that threatens half of the country and most of Kansas has had its effect on the availability of hydroelectric power from the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA),” said Steve Parr, CEO of Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, our power supplier. “Their reservoirs, and therefore the energy in storage, which were about average for the first two months of the year, then well above average until May, are now well below even the average minimum levels recorded from 1987 to 2011.”
Nuclear is our second lowest-priced power source. Wolf Creek has been operating throughout this summer heat and is scheduled to be online until its next refueling outage in February 2013.
The Iatan 2 coal plant experienced an outage in the first part of July for repairs, but also has been operating well through the hottest part of the summer. So far in 2012, the Iatan 2 plant has provided 12 percent of our power supply.
The highest-priced power occurs with peaking systems that help generate the power needed during
these very hot summer afternoons. By scheduling some of your usage outside of the weekday hours of
5 p.m. to 8 p.m., you not only manage the demand cost on your electric bill, but you help to control the
overall power costs.
In closing, I would like to remind everyone to take time to vote. We all have our opinions on various
issues in our country. What better place to voice our opinion than on a ballot.
Keep cool, drink plenty of water, stay safe and enjoy your summer.
Summertime is filled with outdoor activities, recreation and work. My son, Matthew, and daughter,
Jennifer, both have been out in this heat at the softball diamonds a lot this summer. I’m sure they get
tired of me telling them to drink plenty of water, but staying hydrated is extremely important in this heat.
The summer heat has also contributed to higher power costs. Hydropower is our lowest-priced power source and this summer’s drought reduced the amount of power we are receiving from the reservoirs.
“The drought that threatens half of the country and most of Kansas has had its effect on the availability of hydroelectric power from the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA),” said Steve Parr, CEO of Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, our power supplier. “Their reservoirs, and therefore the energy in storage, which were about average for the first two months of the year, then well above average until May, are now well below even the average minimum levels recorded from 1987 to 2011.”
Nuclear is our second lowest-priced power source. Wolf Creek has been operating throughout this summer heat and is scheduled to be online until its next refueling outage in February 2013.
The Iatan 2 coal plant experienced an outage in the first part of July for repairs, but also has been operating well through the hottest part of the summer. So far in 2012, the Iatan 2 plant has provided 12 percent of our power supply.
The highest-priced power occurs with peaking systems that help generate the power needed during
these very hot summer afternoons. By scheduling some of your usage outside of the weekday hours of
5 p.m. to 8 p.m., you not only manage the demand cost on your electric bill, but you help to control the
overall power costs.
In closing, I would like to remind everyone to take time to vote. We all have our opinions on various
issues in our country. What better place to voice our opinion than on a ballot.
Keep cool, drink plenty of water, stay safe and enjoy your summer.
Summer Power Supply Update
In the spring, I remember thinking about the weather in 2011. The extremely cold winter and the summer setting records with many days over 100 degrees.
Then, thinking about the mild winter we had this year and wondering if this
 |
