Published: June 26, 2009 05:07 pm      

Peak power

Weatherford utilities strong enough for summer usage

Chelsea L. McGowan

cmcgowan@weatherforddemocrat.com

Despite the sudden onslaught of 100-plus degree days in Parker County, the municipal utility system has yet to feel any strain from high usage.

According to Joe Farley, director of electric utilities, Weatherford Electric has yet to see a peak that approaches the system’s all-time high.

“Our all-time high was a few years ago when we hit 83 megawatts,” he said. “Our peak this year was Thursday, with 77 megawatts. But even if we go over 83 megawatts, the system has plenty of capacity. We’re not worried about rolling brown-outs or anything like that.”

Farley said since the city upgraded one of its electric substations, the total capacity is 175 megawatts — more than twice the peak usage in the system’s history.

As the famous Texas heat poses more and more of a threat to residents’ health, Utilities Director Sharon Hayes said the city was mindful of the role air conditioning plays during the summer.

“When the temperature is above a certain degree mark, we don’t do shut offs [due to non-payment of bill],” Hayes said. “We’re certainly aware of the importance that air conditioning plays in the lives of people around here, so we’re careful in extreme conditions.”

Like electric usage, water consumption also increases during the summer. Weatherford’s municipal water system saw almost six million gallons flow Thursday and Friday, and necessitated a switch to a 24-hour cycle.

“That’s to be expected this time of year,” Hayes said. “The storms helped us add about six inches to the lake that we couldn’t have gotten from just pumping.”

And also like the electric system, Hayes said Weatherford’s water supply was plenty accurate to handle the needs of the customer base.

“We have the capability to bring enough water in from Benbrook to handle our customers’ needs,” she said. “I don’t see any reason for concern.”

Still, Hayes was quick to remind residents simple conservation methods can help keep consumption — and therefore bills — low during the hottest months of the year.

“Water conservation is a big issue, and we always want to encourage people to use water wisely,” she said. “We see a lot of loss when people water their lawns. If you water your grass deeply in the evening, just once a week, it can make a big difference. Programmable thermostats and ceiling fans can make those differences in electric usage. Simple things like turning off lights can really help a lot.”