Extreme summer temperatures of 100 degrees and above and high humidity across Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas again last week sent usage of electricity by customers of AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) to another new all-time high level. A new peak customer demand was established last Wednesday, August 11, 2010, with a record 4,993 megawatt (MW) load on the SWEPCO system, breaking the old mark of 4,990 MWs set just the week before on August 4, 2010, when the Shreveporttemperature was 101 degrees. The old record prior to this summer had been set on August 4, 2008, with a 4,950 MW load.
            The record 4,993 MW load was set at 4:00 p.m. last Wednesday when the Shreveport temperature was 101 degrees.  The SWEPCO peak load for 2009 was set on July 13, with a 4,750 MW load when the temperature in Shreveportwas 102 degrees.  SWEPCO’s new peak demand is 1.4 percent under the projected load for the summer of 5,064 MW.