Colorado has a little energy crisis of its own. (Xcel substation exploded 2 miles away from me)

[Hawkeye-X]

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=140615&catid=339

Explosion occurred 2 days ago, and Xcel is asking us to conserve... I turn everything off and leave the minimal on.

Look at the comments. Pretty sick, huh?

[hlthe2b]

1. Well, while it was inconvenient, Excel did a reasonable job

getting everything re-routed. The worst of it for me was my aging girl doggie, who was both freaked out by the silent darkness (never that quiet in my home--LOL) but also very hot... She seeks the bathtub as refuge during thunderstorms, so I turned the shower on very lightly and she eventually went in and cooled off for several hours. But a couple of us Denverites were still posting into the wee hours, given how hard it was to go to sleep. My Sony laptop and Sprint wifi device worked out rather well in that regard.

But yes, I've got most everything turned off.... and most of what I do have is very energy frugal to begin with...

[hedgehog]

2. i was shocked to hear of the high temps so early in the season -

is this normal for Colorado?

[hlthe2b]

3. Mid 90s in early June is not normal, but it does happen...

Many people have relied on evaporative coolers (swamp coolers) in lieu of air conditioners, which work well in such a dry climate. But, they only cool about 10-15 degrees at most. So, when it gets to be 95 degrees or warmer, that doesn't always "cut it." I know houses never used to even include central air here when I was a child... Now, though, the unseasonable hot weather we get more and more means we are becoming just like everywhere else and the electric company struggles to keep up...

[Roon]

5. The unit downstairs where I used to live

was on the north side of the building and with three huge trees providing shade for most of the day, it stayed relatively cool. I used to have a swamp cooler before some tweaker tore it apart looking for copper, I went two summers without it.

Now I live in my Grandparents' attic, and it can get HOT up here!! I have an AC but it weighs like 75lbs. and I can't lift it by myself.

We have had a cool spring here in Denver so I have been lucky so far,but I need to get this AC installed soon!!!

[ensho]

4. kick

nt