BGE ISSUES "ELECTRIC POWER WARNING" ...
Wednesday July 7th 2010 12:15 PM
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Steve Fermier and Robert Lang
As Baltimore swelters under another day of record setting heat, BGE and the PJM Inter Connection have issued an electric power warning.
BGE spokeswoman Linda Foy tells WBAL News it means there there won't be any rolling blackouts or brownouts, but if demand continues to be high, the utility might reduce the voltage going through power lines and some business customers might see lights flicker.
She says if a "voltage reduction" is implemented most residential customers won't notice anything.
Foy says customers need to set air conditioners higher if their heath permits and avoid using major appliances like stoves until after 9 tonight, in order to save electricity.
The PJM provides electricity for 13 states including Maryland.
Meanwhile, state health officials ordered the rest of the 150 residents of a Baltimore City nursing home to be moved to other facilities, after the air conditioner shut down over the weekend, and state officials were not notified.
The outage took place at the Ravenwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in West Baltimore.
State officials are investigating why they were not notified of the outage, although staff did move residents to lower floors of the building, and bring in fans and portable air conditioners over the holiday weekend.
About 60 residents were moved to other facilities on Tuesday.
Today's forecast high is well within reach of the record of 99 for this date.
Yesterday's 105 was tied with the second highest high recorded. The hottest on record in Baltimore was 107 in 1936.
Heat and air quality advisories remain in place for the third day.
Some relief could come by tomorrow.
Check HERE for the latest maps from NOAA.
A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING.
STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE MID-ATLANTIC TODAY.
HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE AROUND 100 DEGREES. THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES OF AROUND 105 DEGREES DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF UNUSUALLY HIGH
TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF EXCESSIVE HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES AND FATALITIES ARE POSSIBLE. THE VERY YOUNG AND ELDERLY ARE MOST AT RISK. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY OUT OF THE SUN IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.
www.WBAL.COM
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/lrs