Utility officials predict power drain

GLENDALE — With the Labor Day weekend drawing to a close, power officials are bracing for what could be a record draw on the city’s power grid Tuesday as vacationers return home, schools reopen and workers file back into office buildings.

“Everything will be turning on mostly on Tuesday,” said Ruben Abueg, electrical services administrator for Glendale Water & Power. “It will be our challenge day.”

The potentially record-setting power drain will come even as temperatures are forecast to start a slow slide into the mid-90s this week after several days of prolonged triple-degree heat that prompted the National Weather Service to issue an excessive heat warning over the weekend.

Power demand on Tuesday could very well beat that of July 24, 2006, when the city set an all-time record of 336 megawatts. Peak demand on Thursday reached 330 megawatts, well above projections of 317 megawatts, city officials said. And on Friday, demand increased to 332 megawatts, Abueg said.

Power demand figures were not immediately available over the weekend, but stress on the power grid was tempered somewhat as the city’s office buildings cleared on Friday and thousands of vacationers left their homes behind for the extended time off, Abueg said.

They were part of the 3 million Southland residents who were expected to take trips this Labor Day weekend, according the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Those who did get away for the weekend left behind a city that saw temperatures hover around 104-degrees, creating “potentially life-threatening” conditions for those working or playing outdoors, according to a National Weather Service excessive heat warning that was in effect for the area through Sunday.

The high temperatures wilted Labor Day plans for some residents, who said they would stay indoors with the air conditioning on.

“I told my husband to forget the barbecue,” said Julie Spendel as she left a Glendale Albertson’s store. “It’s so ridiculously hot right now that even the shade doesn’t matter.”

With air conditioners cranked up, and as residents returned home, city power officials again asked the public to cut back on their energy use, especially when demand on the grid is at its highest, from 2 to 6 p.m.

Glendale’s relatively insulated power system is capable of meeting the demand, but as electrical transformers work overtime in hot weather to deliver the power, more are at risk of overheating, power officials said.

Glendale Water & Power asked residents to set their thermostats at 78 degrees when home, and 80 degrees when away. They also urged customers to turn off all unnecessary lights and equipment — especially computers, monitors and printers — when not in use, and to put off using major appliances between noon and 7 p.m.