Duke Energy Carolinas sets summer peak usage record in late July

Duke Energy Carolinas recently managed high-energy demands as North Carolina and South Carolina battled through a lingering heat wave, causing customers to reach a new summer peak usage record of 20,671 megawatt-hours of electricity, reached during the afternoon of July 27.

“We have sufficient supplies of electricity to meet our customers’ needs, and our technicians are working around the clock to ensure smooth operations at our power plants and along our power lines,” Duke Energy Vice President of System Planning and Operations Nelson Peeler said.

The previous summertime record for Duke Energy Carolinas, set on Aug. 8, 2007, was 20,628 megawatt-hours, while the all-time record, set on Feb. 20, 2015, still stands at 21,101 megawatt-hours.

At the time that the new summertime record was set, the Carolinas had experienced sustained highs of over 90 degrees – and typically in the mid- to high-90s – for more than a week. While this heat wave has triggered an increased demand in electricity, Duke Energy Carolinas does not anticipate the emergence of any service problems, as the company’s technicians are monitoring the system and working to ensure reliable power.