MILWAUKEE, Wis., Aug. 1, 2001 – Sweltering temperatures created record high electric demand on the distribution systems of Wisconsin Energy Corp. electric utilities (Wisconsin Electric and Edison Sault Electric) today, to a peak demand of 6,145 megawatts (MW).
This is the highest electric demand the corporation has ever recorded. The previous record of 6,089 MW was set on July 29, 1999.
“Our electric systems continue to perform well, meeting the growing electric power needs of our customers. If the high heat and humidity continue over the next few days, however, we may exercise our voluntary power buy-back programs to continue to provide economic service to our customers,” said Dick Grigg, Wisconsin Electric-Wisconsin Gas (WE-WG) president and chief operating officer. “We reached our all-time record electric peak today while our power plants operated very well, providing consistent full output and enabling us to meet the continuing load growth. We will continue our efforts to build more power plants to meet future demand.”
If the current growth in electric demand continues at three percent per year, Wisconsin will experience a 4,000 MW shortfall in electric supply by 2010. As part of its Power the Future plan, Wisconsin Energy has proposed building five new generating units within the next decade with a total capacity of 2,800 MW.
“This record shows that even in a soft economy the demand for electricity in Wisconsin continues to grow,” said Grigg. “We will continue our efforts to meet our customers’ increasing electrical energy needs, which includes working for approval of our Power the Future plan.”
Wisconsin Energy Corporation (NYSE: WEC) is a Milwaukee-based holding company with subsidiaries in utility and non-utility businesses. The company serves more than 1 million electric customers in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and 960,000 natural gas customers in Wisconsin through its utility subsidiaries – Wisconsin Electric, Wisconsin Gas and Edison Sault Electric. Its non-utility subsidiaries include energy services and development, pump manufacturing, waste-to-energy and real estate businesses. Visit the company’s Web site at www.WisconsinEnergy.com
