COLUMBIANA, Ohio - Whenever power demand is too high, it could overpower the system and cause outages.

Doing a little bit to conserve energy during peak hours could help keep the power on and rates low.

In Columbiana, the city manager says they are switching from electric power to fuel generators from 2-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday to reduce the strain on the power grid. 

"If we could all do a little bit, residents and businesses, we could reduce our footprint in this area, and hopefully others do this from Chicago to New York," said Lance Willard.

First Energy says it's vital to conserve energy during high demand.  They have their own safety measures they take during times of extremely high usage.
They use thermal vision cameras to take infrared images of their equipment to detect any defects in substations or on poles. By identifying hot spots, they can stop any problems that could lead to power outages.

They say there are some things you can do to help during the peak power usages hours during the afternoons.

"Even by increasing your thermostat by a degree you can save 2% on your energy costs. We tell customers to close the shades so direct sunlight isn't coming in and heating the home. Avoid using hot cooking equipment during the day," said First Energy spokesperson Aaron Ruegg.

And believe it, or not a full freezer or refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one.
According to First Energy, if everyone does something little to conserve energy during these hot times, there will be less of a chance the grid will go down, leaving us high, hot, and not so dry.