Arizona public power utility Salt River Project has set a new record for energy delivered to its retail customers, it said on July 10.
On July 9 between 3 and 4 p.m., SRP delivered its highest-ever system peak of 8,324 megawatts (MW). One megawatt is enough energy to power about 225 average homes. The high temperature recorded on July 9 was 118 degrees.
This surpasses the previous system peak record of 8,205 MW, which was set on Aug. 4, 2024, between 5 and 6 p.m. Increased customer demand stems from several factors, including extreme daytime and overnight temperatures and an increase in the number of SRP commercial and residential power customers.
“SRP plans ahead to ensure we have the energy resources necessary to meet projected summer demand,” said Pam Syrjala, SRP Senior Director of Supply and Trading. “We engaged our demand response program and leveraged a diverse mix of generation, including solar, battery storage and natural gas, to maintain reliability for our customers.”
SRP noted its customers can find a variety of energy efficiency tips and tools to lower their energy use and sign up for SRP’s Bring Your Own Thermostat demand response program by visiting savewithsrp.com.