Utilities Urge Conservation as Summer Heat Strains the Grid

As a stretch of triple-digit heat settles over Arkansas, utilities are asking customers to conserve electricity during the hottest afternoon hours to keep the power grid stable and hold down bills.

Providers said demand tends to peak in the late afternoon and early evening, when air conditioners run hardest and people return home from work. They asked residents to raise thermostats a few degrees, delay running dishwashers and dryers until later at night, and close blinds against the sun.

Officials stressed that the grid was expected to hold, but said modest conservation reduces strain and lowers the risk of localized outages during extreme heat. They also urged residents to check on elderly neighbors and to never leave children or pets in parked cars.

The heat is forecast to persist for several days before a slight break arrives. Cooling centers were open in several cities for residents without reliable air conditioning.