U.S. electricity demand fell 4.2 percent last year, the largest drop in 60 years

[phantom power]

U.S. electricity demand fell 4.2 percent last year, the largest drop in 60 years, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

In the agency’s “State of the Markets Report 2009,” only three of the 11 recessions in the past 60 years have resulted in a drop in electric demand, and officials said in the report “falling power demand is rare.”

A steep decline in the industrial sector was blamed for some of the change along with relatively mild summers. In the residential and commercial sectors, though, demand also slid 1 percent, according to the federal regulator’s report.

Read more: Report: U.S. electricity demand drops - Austin Business Journal:
http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2010/04/19/daily57.html

[rurallib]

1. Could part of it have been the cool summer?

I don't think we ever turned on the AC last year. Don't know how much of an effect that might be.

[Statistical]

2. Mostly industrial demand drop due to the recession.

Recession. Less factories running (or running reduced shifts). Some things like smelting aluminum or scrap steel takes a massive amount of electricity. Also people unemployed or underemployed tend to cut back even on energy because money is tight.

According to the article the cool summer did also contribute to the reduction.

[Vinnie From Indy]

4. I know many people and businesses that began aggressively dealing with all costs

The store down the street installed freezers and refrigerators with sensor lights that come on when the handle is moved. I know I am more aware of power usage in my life.

[DesertFlower]

5. i'm in phoenix. our july electric bill was the

highest we ever had in 20 years of summers here.

[4_TN_TITANS]

17. Here in TN our last month daily average was $4.56 / day

but that's mostly because of the mild weather.

[madokie]

13. Whereas we had to run the air conditioner from the first of May all the way into October

a good two months longer than we usually do. This year is starting off that way too. I uncovered the air conditioner just this afternoon because it won't be long until we turn it on. This was the coldest winter we've had in a quite a few years too, actually the last three winters have been extra cold. GW is going to cause a lot weird weather. I'm seeing more extremes. Like last summer we had a lot of days well over 100 degrees when normally we might have a half dozen max. This past winter the stove wasn't off for 3 solid months and thats unusual as we normally have a few days of cold then a few days of warmer over and over. I think we better get our act together when it comes to warming this earth up.

[rurallib]

14. Sometimes I say the dumbest things. My sinus filled head

is way off kilter today.

[madokie]

15. I think that its that the weather is different with different locations

and it goes through phases but getting warmer overall, ever so slowly ever so sure.

speaking of sinuses there sure is a lot of pollen in the air right now and I feel for those of you who are bothered by it but for the most part I'm not bothered by it much.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Maybe it wasn't due to demand, but due to a lack of money to pay for it.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. You know what THAT means, don't you? Utility co.s will now be raising rates to stay in the black.

[BadgerKid]

7. Oh, crumbs. You beat me to it. n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

8. ...

:thumbsup: :hi: :fistbump:

[bhikkhu]

9. Or we don't need to spend that trillion or so on new nukes

...but we'll probably get new plants anyway, because industry is so ingrained into the all-growth, all the time mindset. As for me, I used less energy last year, and plan to use even less this year.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. I unplug EVERYTHING when I don't use it. The only exceptions are my refrigerator and

clock-radio. Everything is on surge protectors, and I shut them off when things plugged into them are not in use.

My electric bill has fallen substantially.

I used to leave ceiling fans on all day, every day, summer and winter. Not any more.

I think CFLs have helped also. My local electric co was giving them away free.

[Statistical]

11. That would only be true if you have no problem burning tons of fossil fuels forever. n/t

[kristopher]

12. Not true, renewables are better than coal or nukes.

[bhikkhu]

16. ...and every renewable "solution" works better with lower consumption

If you want to keep increasing population, consumption, waste, etc, you wind up needing everything - coal, NG, nuclear, and renewables; and its still not enough.

[kristopher]

18. That's a good point.

One interesting aspect of renewable energy sources is the way that people's awareness of energy changes. When they see a wind turbine spinning or sun hitting a panel on their roof they become aware of energy production in a way that doesn't happen when it is nothing more than a black box behind the wall switch.

Studies have found that this awareness translates into a new valuation of energy; one that results in actions to conserve.