Extreme heat wave pushes Israel's electricity reserve to the limit
Israel Electric Corporation: if peak power consumption occurs, the system can experience power shortages due to low electricity reserve.
By SHARON UDASINUpdated: AUGUST 4, 2015 02:40General view of Tel Aviv beach(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Israelis again stressed the electric system Monday as the ongoing heatwave again pushed consumption levels to new highs, the Israel Electric Corporation reported.Although the IEC predicted that usage would rise to 13,300 megawatts or more, consumption peaked at a slightly lower 12,800 MW at 2:09 p.m. – still topping Sunday’s record of 12,525 MW, when just 800 MW were left in reserve.Prior to Sunday’s record, the previous peak summer consumption was on July 19, 2012, when it reached 11,880 MW.For all seasons, the greatest demand occurred on January 12, 2015, when it climbed to 11,930 MW.Despite Monday’s scorching heat, the Israel Meteorological Service said the heat wave – which began on Thursday – reached its peak on Sunday.In addition to maximum daytime temperatures topping charts in some areas on Sunday, minimum nighttime temperatures between Sunday and Monday also remained extremely high, the IMS said.The highest nighttime temperatures were in the Dead Sea, Jordan Valley and southern Arava, resting at about 33-35°C, according to the IMS. The Jordan Valley featured the highest daytime temperatures on Sunday – 49°C at Kibbutz Gilgal and Beit Ha’arava. At most stations, figures were comparable to those measured in past heat waves, the IMS said.Forecasts say the hot weather will continue for the rest of the week.