And, Of Course, Then There Are The McMansions

From Today's EEI Newsletter:

Star-Tribune Examines How Many Homes are Increasing Energy Hogs

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune examined how the average U.S. household, while attuned to energy efficiency, is less energy efficient, and more of a power-drain on the electricity grid, than ever before. Wrote the newspaper: "Many household appliances have become more efficient, using less electricity than ever to cool rooms, wash clothes and chill food. But the increasingly wired American home, where outlets are charging cell phones and iPods and powering multiple computers and big-screen TVs, is creating higher demand for power than was the case even a few years ago. At last count, six of every 10 homes had a computer. In 1992, the number was one in five. Households that once had one TV now have two or three, some with screens four times as large as the typical television twenty years ago, and some requiring a lot of juice."

EEI spokesman Jim Owen was quoted as pointing out: "Plasma screens use eight to 10 times as much electricity as the TVs they replace." Wrote the Star-Tribune: "Owen … said utilities can count on office buildings and factories lowering electricity use in the summer because business owners don't want to pay higher costs. But residential users 'are less price-sensitive,' Owen said. In fact, hot weather tends to increase power demand from homeowners, as they pump up their air conditioning and stay home watching TV, playing video games or cruising the Web on their computers."

The newspaper said that the North American Electric Reliability Corp. has stated that the power grid is still susceptible to being affected by a wave of hot, humid weather. Wrote the Star-Tribune: "NERC officials said they are hoping to avoid a repeat of last summer, when extreme weather forced some utilities to issue emergency alerts and public pleas for people and businesses to use less power."
Minneapolis Star-Tribune , June 9.