Summer Energy Conservation is on State's Mind

None by Eric Ray

The Utah Division of Air Quality is once again promoting energy conservation through its Power Forward program this summer. Power Forward is a dual effort between the DAQ and the state's public utilities to try to keep the state's energy providers from overloading by simply asking users to conserve as much power as possible.

Glade Sowards, the DAQ's Energy Program Coordinator, says higher temperatures increase pressure on energy providers because more people are using their air conditioners. The program encourages extra energy conservation on "yellow power forward days" like today. Turning off unnecessary lights is recommended, along with setting your thermostat higher when you're not home, and running appliances like dishwashers after 8pm. In the past, Sowards says those simple steps have saved as much as 100 megawatts, enough to power 500 homes.

To date there have not been any "red power forward days," in which conservation becomes critical. More information on the Power Forward program is available via here.

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