THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, March 4, 1977 19
Nancy Dickerson, prominent national
correspondent, reports for Detroit Edison:
"The lessons
of two hard winters
will help us all weather
future emergencies.”
balance power supply and demand, Detroit
Edison developed remote-controlled water
heating and is pioneering interruptible
air conditioning and heat pump operation. -
More importantly, to assure our customers
a continued supply of electricity, Detroit
Edison is resuming its stalled power plant
construction program. Work will be
started immediately on two partially
completed plants, the Greenwood I plant
near Port Huron and on the Fermi II
nuclear plant near Monroe.
Twice in less than a year, severe
weather has caused interruptions and
disruptions in electric service in
Southeastern Michigan. It could happen
again—with another ice storm, another
spell of sub-normal temperatures or
an extreme summer heat wave. It could
also happen any time there isn't
enough power to go around. We
can't control the weather but Detroit
Edison has developed programs and
procedures to cope with nature's
extremes and minimize the discomfort
and inconvenience to its customers.
You can help by using energy wisely.
During this January's power shortage,
Detroit Edison customers helped reduce
`demand by more.than 400,000 kilowatts
by reducing their use of electric power. .
Detroit Edison would like to thank all of its
customeis. Their patience, understanding -
and cooperation during very difficult times
helped prevent more severe hardships.
Now, here are just a few things you can do
during non-emergency times to help save
energy and also save money: • Insulate your
home with the help of Detroit Edison's
Home Insulation Finance Plan • Put up
storm windows and doors •Check weather,
stripping and caulking • Dial down in
winter and dial up in summer_. Lower
furnace fan settings • Keep electric
appliances in good repair.
The worst ice storm in history.
March 1 marks the anniversary of the worst
ice storm.in Michigan's history..One out
of every five families in Southeastern
Michigan was affected directly by inter- .
rupted electric service. Damage to Detroit
Edison equipment was disastrous and
succeeding storm compounded repair
problems. Over 1,000 poles and a million
feet of wire had to he replaced. Nearly
one-tifth.of Detroit Edison's entire electric
distribution system had to he restored or
rebuilt. More than 5,000 Detroit Edisdn
employees, contractors and crews from
other utilities worked around the clock
to get service hack, to normal.
Now a record breaking cold spell.,
prevented through cooperation of our
customers, efforts of our employees, and
an effective interchange system with other
utilities. Since, then, Detroit Edison has
been able to help other utilities that are
still having problems by selling them
emergency power.
-
This year on January 11 and again on
Jandary 17, severe cold and icing conditions
put some of Detroit Edison's critical power
plant equipmentout of service. In past
emergencies, Detroit Edison has been able
tci buy power from, neighboring utilities.
But during the coldest January on record,
with accompanying high demands for -
electricity,_ there was little power to spare
anywhere. Detroit Edison lowered voltage
five percent and-asked customers to reduce
their use of electricity for two ten-hour
periods. Additional load reductions were
Supply and demand.
-
If you're like most people, you're using
a lot more electricity today than ten years
ago. In fact, the average Detroit Edison
residential customer now uses 41 percent
more than in 1966. So far, this has caused
no serious power interruptions in Detroit
-- Edison service. But it could happen.
Especially in sub-zero weather when .
everyone is trying to keep Nvarm, or on
- hot summer days and nights when air
conditioners are working overtime. To help
Prepared for power problems.'
,r
We could he in for more severe weather,
bLit Detroit Edison is ready to put into
effect tested disaster and emergency
procedures which have been reviewed and
approved by the Michigan Public Service
Commission. The patience-and cooperation
that Detroit Edison customers have dem-
onstrated in the past will also help relieve
abnormal conditions. Our experiencediave
brought home the importance of America's
crusade for conservation —and hdw it re-
quires a working partnership between
those who supply energy and
those who use it. Together we can
face the future with confidence.
Save energy for all it's worth. THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS.
Detroit
Edison
.