Power companies on alert as heat drives demand

Repairing power lines in triple-digit heat. (KTEN)

VAN ALSTYNE, Texas -- Power companies across Texoma were working overtime to keep the lights turned Thursday on as triple-digit temperatures created a crushing demand for electricity.

"It's hard to do what we do, because its hard to keep everyone happy," said Andy Hammer, a lineman with the Grayson-Collin Electric Cooperative.

Just barely halfway through 2018, this is the hottest year since 2011, and Grayson-Collin CEO David McGinnis said usage is higher than it's been for the last few years.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which supervises the state's power grid, said customers were using 27,000 megawatts at peak usage on Wednesday.

"We've got crews out assessing any hot spots, is what we call them, and we've got them out there just doing actual maintenance," McGinnis said.

As everyone scrambles to get out of the heat, electric crews face it head-on.

"You want everything to run as smooth as possible and make people happy, and electricity makes people happy," Hammer said.

Earlier Thursday, workers were in McKinney to repair a power line that may have been hit by lightning. Quick work kept thousands from enduring the hottest part of the day without air conditioning.

"The repair that we just made should keep us going until we get it changed out, and hopefully it doesn't go out at all," Hammer said.

McGinnis appealed to customers to minimize electrical usage between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., the hours of peak demand. 

"Naturally, you'd want to turn down your air, but if everyone just turns up it just two degrees, you save like 10 percent of the consumption in the State of Texas," McGinnis said.