California's power-grid operator said electricity demand rose to a record Monday, topping a record that stood for five years, as hot weather increased the use of air- conditioners. Electricity demand rose to 43,801 megawatts at 3:40 p.m. local time, beating the previous record of 43,609 megawatts set on July 12, 1999, said Gregg Fishman, a spokesman for the California Independent System Operator. No blackouts were expected because there was enough power-plant capacity to meet demand, he said. "We're in pretty good shape right now," Fishman said in an interview. "We're getting to the point where demand should start to tail off." The high temperature in downtown Los Angeles was forecast to be 90 degrees Fahrenheit Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Times said on its Web site.
To subscribe or visit