The demand for electricity from the Public Power Corporation’s (PPC) network hit a new record high yesterday as the country sweltered in very hot weather conditions that are not expected to ease up until late tomorrow.
Demand on the PPC’s power network hit 10,610 MW at 2.10 p.m. yesterday, beating the previous record of 10,512 MW set on June 27 – during the country’s previous heat wave that killed 12 people.
Demand for power in the Athens region was slightly lower than that recorded at the end of June, which reflects the large number of residents that have left the city for their summer vacation.
Authorities underlined that the power grid managed to meet the surging demand after controlled power cuts in PPC lignite mines, irrigation networks and a number of industrial areas.
A fire in Evia, central Greece, also resulted in PPC switching off power to the Aegean islands of Andros and Tinos for safety reasons.
Weather conditions are expected to remain very hot today.
“Today and tomorrow, temperatures will rise further with the maximum temperature reaching 42 Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) in the north and 44C (111F) in central Greece. On the eastern mainland – including Attica – we cannot rule out the temperature exceeding 45C (113F),” the head of forecasting at the National Meteorological Service, Dimitris Ziakopoulos, told Kathimerini.
According to Health Ministry sources, some 13 people have sought medical assistance in the last 24 hours due to heat-related health problems. A 75-year-old man is thought to have died of heatstroke on Corfu last night.
The first signs of the weather cooling could appear late tomorrow with a drop by as much as five degrees expected on Thursday.
(Kathimerini, 24/7/07)