Duke Energy is preparing for a surge in demand ahead of several days of extreme heat in North Carolina.
The National Weather Service said there will be multiple days with heat index values above 100 degrees in eastern North Carolina starting on Friday, and isolated severe thunderstorms will be possible each afternoon.
Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks said peak demand is generally between 5 and 9 p.m.
“That's when everybody comes home from work. That's when you are cooking dinner, you may plug up your EV or you may turn on your television,” he said, “Whatever it is you're doing, that pulls a lot of power at that time of day.:
Brooks also said the company has a more limited maintenance schedule at its largest power plants when demand is at its highest.
“Those types of base-load sources - the nuclear and the natural gas - are particularly important on days like we're experiencing today when it's very, very hot and we need everything that we can on the system to meet customer needs,” he explained.
Brooks said people can help ease stress on the grid by turning up thermostats, turning off lights and closing blinds.