No Record Seen in New England Power Use

HOLYOKE, Mass. (AP) - Despite the heat wave, New England's power
grid is not expected to break its record electricity use of four
years ago.

Ellen Foley, spokeswoman for ISO-New England, the region's grid
operator, said Tuesday that consumer demand is expected to reach a
peak of 27,000 megawatts. The record is 28,130 megawatts used on
Aug. 2, 2006.

She says the long holiday weekend when offices and some
businesses were closed, the weak economy that has pushed down
energy demand and improved energy efficiency should ensure that
electricity use won't be a record-breaker.

If necessary, Foley says ISO can bring in electricity from
outside the region, call on large customers to cut electricity use
and ask all consumers to turn down or shut off appliances.

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