| ASU cutting back on power use during crunch |
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By Rosa Cirianni, Tribune |
| Hallways and bathrooms are dark, soda machine lights are out, and some administration building employees have learned a different way of identifying each other. |
| “It’s like, ‘Oh, I know who that is by their
walk down the hallway,’ ” said Nancy Neff, an Arizona State
University spokeswoman. ASU is trying to do its part to ease the Valley’s power crunch. “We’re supposed to keep the lights off, but sometimes you need to see something,” said Shannon Todd, a student employee. Many thermostats have been turned up as high as 82 degrees. Dawn Phelps had her window shade down in her office and a fan blowing in her direction to circulate air Monday. “It’s uncomfortably hot in here,” said Phelps, ASU graduate student services coordinator. Since many of the university’s buildings have lots of windows, the effect of no lights has not been such a burden. And, as typical for this time of year, residence halls and classroom buildings are deserted and dark. Arizona Public Service Co. has asked customers to conserve energy between 3 and 6 p.m. daily since a July 4 fire that destroyed five of 14 transformers at a substation. APS spokesman Damon Gross said the utility has had a decrease of between 200 and 300 megawatts daily. One megawatt powers 250 average-size homes. “Everyone’s done a tremendous amount, and we can’t say enough for everyone’s support,” Gross said. “That’s what’s gotten us through.” A transformer made its way to the Peoria substation Saturday after a 21-day journey from California. APS expects that once the 190-ton transformer is up and running by mid-August, the company will be able to meet peak demand. |
| Contact Rosa Cirianni by email, or phone (480) 970-2341 |