AEP Ohio says no blackouts expected despite heat wave; here's how to help prevent them
As central Ohio sweats its way through June, only one thing could make this oppressive heat worse: a power outage.
Thankfully, AEP Ohio isn't expecting one.
Director of operations Matt Bennett said there's been no indication from PJM Interconnection, the organization that manages the electricity grid for Ohio and 12 other states, that an electrical outage is anticipated in the coming weeks.
That's not to say that an "emergency load reduction," commonly known as a blackout, isn't possible. Bennett said the process would involve temporarily cutting power to one group of circuits for some minutes, then restoring it and moving onto the next group.
"That's why they call it a rolling blackout, because you're rotating the outages to ultimately reduce the demand on the system," Bennett said. "There's never a convenient time for a power outage, so you're trying to make it as least inconvenient and least impactful for the customer as possible."
Temperatures are projected to be in the high 90s the next few days, with heat index values reaching as high as 104 degrees. On June 25, temperatures are expected to slightly drop, remaining in the low 90s through June 29 at least.
Now until 8 p.m. on June 24, Columbus and much of Ohio are under a heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service due to consecutive days — and even nights — of high heat and humidity.
In the past few days, PJM has issued multiple alerts regarding the heat wave, which Bennett said serve as preventative measures to ensure the electrical grid is in the best possible condition amid extreme temperatures.
There is a possibility that PJM directs a formal energy conservation request to industrial and residential energy users in a further attempt to be proactive, but a blackout itself is "an absolute last resort," Bennett said.
To help fend off this outcome, Bennett said people should minimize their electricity usage between 3-6 p.m., when demand is highest.
During this period, you should avoid charging your electric vehicle and using large appliances like ovens, dishwashers and dryers. Bennett also advised turning your thermostat up a few degrees — ideally to 78, as recommended by AEP. Even if it's turning off lights or unplugging phone chargers, Bennett said "every little bit helps."
"It may not seem a lot for each individual person, but on a larger scale, it can really make a big impact, because this is truly a supply and demand issue," Bennett said. "The overall goal is that we protect the grid, which ultimately will keep the energy flowing for all of us."
AEP Ohio remains in "close communication" with PJM, and Bennett encouraged Ohioans to follow AEP Ohio on Instagram, X or Facebook to stay updated on potential blackouts and learn more tips to conserve energy.
Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com, or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: AEP Ohio says blackouts, power outages not expected despite heat wave
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
How To Stay Cool In A Post-Climate World
A man cools himself with a garden hose during a heat wave. Power grids from the Midwest to the Southeast have taken emergency action this week as an early-season heat dome brought an extended period of hot and humid weather to America's most populous region. The science team at nonprofit news organization Climate Central found that climate change made the present spell of hot weather four to five times more likely. The largest grid operator in the U.S., the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM) Interconnection, which coordinates the transmission of electricity to roughly 20% of the U.S. population in 13 states and the District of Columbia, issued an alert that power usage is likely to hit a 14-year high this week. The alert advises electrical generation facilities to delay maintenance and repair outages due to the heavy load and informs clients that it will undertake 'demand response' initiatives through VPPs like Sonnen and Renew Home—companies which we have covered in this column. The Interconnection, which maintains approximately 179 gigawatts of total generation capacity and nearly 8 GW of demand response capacity, anticipated a load of 160 GW—around 86% of its total capacity. On Tuesday, the Department of Energy issued an emergency declaration for the Carolinas allowing Duke Energy to exceed pollution limits at its power plants to meet the load brought about by the heatwave. While summer heatwaves are not unusual, this one came early in the season and is severe enough to prompt action by grid operators and the U.S. government. The scientists at Climate Central have developed an online climate shift index application that calculates the increased likelihood of temperature extremes due to climate change. According to Climate Central's explanation, 'The Climate Shift Index (CSI) reveals how much climate change influences the temperature on a particular day. The index ranges from -5 to +5 with positive levels indicating temperatures that are becoming more likely due to climate change (negative scores indicate conditions that are becoming less likely). For levels at 2 or above, the Index is a multiple of how frequently a particular temperature will occur due to climate change.' The CSI estimates the current Midwest and East Coast heatwave has been roughly four to five times more likely due to the effects of human-induced carbon cycle imbalances. Climate Central's Climate Shift Index for the U.S. on June 24, 2025 This analysis highlights the extent to which climate change is already affecting our daily lives. I often hear people speculate as to climate change's effects on their children or grandchildren while overlooking the radical imbalance of the planet's carbon cycle already incurred by 150 years of burning fossil fuels. Climate change's impacts on civilization are no longer abstract projections to be suffered by future generations; if we take the trouble to look for them, we find that those impacts have already arrived. We are living in a 'post-climate' world. This week's early-season heatwave illustrates the vicious cycle in which we are now trapped. People crank up their air conditioning in rising temperatures. Utilities, straining to accommodate the additional power demand, crank up coal- and natural gas-burning facilities, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, making the atmosphere more insulating, and further raising temperatures. Now consider that this vicious cycle is playing out across the globe. Climate Central's Climate Shift Index for the globe on June 24, 2025 Everyone living in the dark rust-colored parts of the map above is experiencing unseasonably hot weather made four to five times more likely due to climate change. Outside of the U.S., many in those dark rust-colored areas live in developing countries with rapidly expanding urban areas subject to the urban heat island effect. People in developing countries are no less desperate for the relief of air conditioning than people on the East Coast of the U.S. and are increasingly able to afford this luxury. There are ways to break out of this vicious cycle, but they are not simple. One featured earlier this month in this column is Dr. Lorenzo Kristov's proposal to shift power generation and distribution to regionally distributed self-reliant mini-grids. Another is reducing fossil fuel generation demand through energy efficiency improvements in homes and commercial buildings. Yet another is increasing the livability of underserved neighborhoods through tree planting and the establishment of energy-efficient community cooling centers. One point that bears stating: Cutting funding to federal agencies like NOAA and the National Weather Service risks lives during extreme weather events and threatens the stability of our electrical grid. The emergency measures taken by PJM and the Department of Energy this week were made possible by forecasts born from the hard work done daily at these agencies. Maintaining our government's capacity to understand how a changing climate will manifest itself through extreme weather events like heat domes and predicting these events before they occur is essential in this post-climate world.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
As 'Dangerously High' Heatwave Hits, Shelter Worker Has a Plan for the Dogs
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As a heat wave prompted the National Weather Service to issue a warning in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, a shelter served up a sweet surprise to its four-legged residents—a round of dog-friendly ice cream. In a heartwarming video shared to the Clinton County SPCA Facebook page, the shelter shared various pups tucking into a frozen treat, Ben & Jerry's "Doggie Dessert," is specially formulated for canines. And judging by the wagging tails and eager licks, it was a hit. "Nothing beats a cold ice cream on a hot day, especially when you're an adoptable shelter dog," the SPCA said in the caption. "These happy faces are ready for their forever families!" The volunteer at the shelter paid for the doggy ice creams herself as a special treat to the pets on a hot day. Earlier this week, The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for Clinton County where temperatures were described as "dangerously high," exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime lows dropped only to the mid-70s. Dogs in the video include Bruiser, a 7-year-old terrier mix who came from a home with children and other pups and has been waiting for a home since 2023. Hulk also enjoyed a treat; aged just 1 year old, he is a Siberian husky and pit bull mix. Wilson has also been waiting for a home since 2023. A 2-year-old terrier mix, he has spent most of his life in the shelter and is looking for someone to give him the time and love he needs. And Prim Rose is a 1-year-old girl who is energetic yet a little shy and has been waiting for a forever family since January. In 2024, approximately 7 million animals entered U.S. shelters and rescues, according to Shelter Animals Count—an increase of nearly 3 percent from 2023. By the end of the year, 103,000 more pets had entered shelters than had exited, contributing to an ongoing capacity crisis in U.S. shelters. Pictures of some of the dogs enjoying an ice-cream treat on the hot day. Pictures of some of the dogs enjoying an ice-cream treat on the hot day. Clinton County SPCA/Facebook Around 748,000 animals experienced non-live outcomes, including euthanasia, death in care, and being lost in care, in 2024. While this represents a 1.6 percent decrease compared to 2023 and a 20 percent drop from 2019, the number remains high. Dogs made up a growing share of these outcomes, with euthanasia rates rising to 9 percent, compared to 7 percent in 2019. The sweet treat moment was a hit with Facebook users who shared their reactions in a series of comments. "What a nice treat. What a great volunteer," commented Cheryl, while viewer Wanda posted: "Thats so wonderful god bless all of them. They are all cute." "This is awesome!!!" wrote viewer Britt. "So glad they all got a special treat on such a hot day!!! Keep up the amazing work!! God Bless all of these animals and God bless all of you at Clinton County SPCA rather staff or volunteers you are all doing amazing things for these pups and kitties and our community." Newsweek reached out to Clinton County SPCA via email for comment.
Chicago Tribune
9 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in Chicago History: Illinois women gain partial suffrage
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on June 26, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) 1893: Illinois Gov. John Peter Altgeld pardoned the three surviving Haymarket defendants — not as an act of mercy, but because he believed all eight were innocent. Altgeld's decision created a firestorm of controversy and spelled the end of his political career. 1913: Women in Illinois were successful in gaining partial suffrage. They became the first women east of the Mississippi River to have the right to vote in presidential elections. Vintage Chicago Tribune: The Great Seiche — or was it? — of 1954. What was behind Lake Michigan's most unusual phenomenon?1954: A seiche hit Chicago. Or, did it? 2008: The Chicago Bulls drafted Simeon's Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. The Bulls had overcome the second-longest odds in NBA draft lottery history — a 1.7% chance — to vault from ninth to first and win the right to draft Rose. Rose reigned as the youngest most valuable player in NBA history, with a Rookie of the Year award and three All-Star selections. He was traded to the New York Knicks in 2016, and retired from the NBA in 2024 after 15 seasons. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
