I dont remember Peak Alerts in the past. Why are they necessary now?
There are a number of reasons why Peak Alerts are necessary today, and they all relate to supply and demand. Our community and the Upper Midwest simply demand more energy now than in the past, and though some new supply has been added to the system, it hasnt been enough to keep pace with demand. For example, the population of our region has grown, which means more people must be served by the same power plants. In addition, each household uses more energy now than in the past. Air conditioners are much more common than they once were, and new energy eaters such as computers and plasma TVs are often in several rooms in each home.
