KIMT-TV 3 NEWS – A peak energy alert starts at 5 pm for thousands of people in North Iowa and southeastern Minnesota.
Freeborn-Mower Electric Cooperative in Albert Lea, MiEnergy Cooperative in Rushford, People’s Energy Cooperative in Oronoco, and Heartland Power Cooperative in St. Ansgar say their members are being asked to reduce their use of electricity due to expected high demand on the regional grid. Co-op members with grain dryers, voluntary manual standby generators, and dairy water heaters will be affected from approximately 4:50 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
The co-ops say members can conserve electricity during this peak alert period by setting their heating systems to at least 68 degrees; running the dishwasher or doing laundry later in the evening; using a microwave instead of the oven to cook; charging electric vehicles later in the evening; and refraining from turning on televisions or gaming systems.
Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative, MiEnergy Cooperative, People’s Energy Cooperative, and Heartland Power Cooperative are all Touchstone Energy® cooperatives and members of Dairyland Power Cooperative which generates and transmits reliable electric power to 62 counties in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois.
