Heat tests electricity grid
Authorities said yesterday the country’s power network is well prepared to meet higher demand this week, as Greeks turned up their air conditioners in a bid to cool off in rising temperatures. Nikos Stefanou, general secretary at the Development Ministry, said the system sufficiently handled yesterday’s spike in demand. «We handled the 9,240-megawatt load with ease. We can manage much higher loads, thanks to the work that has been done in the last three years and during the winter just past,» he added. Electricity power demand across the country remained at the 9,000 MW mark for about two hours, according to authorities. The greatest demand came from Attica, where usage during the midday hours reached 3,440 MW. The growing number of air conditioners is responsible for the higher power needs. Industry data show that some 3 million air conditioners have been installed across the country and that another 350,000 new ones are added to that number every year. The electricity network managed to meet demand yesterday but this was only done by importing power from Bulgaria and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Four Public Power Corporation (PPC) energy plants had technical problems and were forced to shut down for a few hours until technicians fixed the problem. «All the necessary measures have been taken for the safe supply of electrical power to the country even if demand reaches very high levels,» Ioannis Theodorakopoulos, managing director at the Hellenic Transmission System Operator (HTSO), told Kathimerini. Pressure on the power network is unlikely to ease unless there is a drop in temperatures across Greece – something that weather experts do not expect until early next week. Temperatures this weekend could reach as high as 42 Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) in some parts of Greece. Authorities warned residents to take measures against the hotter conditions, such as keeping trips outdoors to a minimum.
