Energy grid sets record for winter demand

January’s frigid temperatures and winter storms helped the region’s energy grid break records for electricity demand.

PJM Interconnect, based in Valley Forge, Pa., announced on Friday that it set several records in January and an all-time winter high.

Demand peaked on Jan. 7 as energy customers used 141,312 megawatts of electricity on that day. That’s more energy PJM as delivered in any winter day over it’s nearly 87 year history, the company said.

The first month of the year also saw eight of the 10 highest power demands in the grid’s existence. Between 15,000 and 20,000 megawatts of additional power was consumed on many days, the company said.

PJM Interconnect is a consortium which delivers electricity produced by several power company’s plants to homes and businesses in 13 states — including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

A polar vortex and several other arctic blasts sent temperatures into the single and sub-zero digits for a majority of the month.

PJM asked for customers to conserve energy on several occasions, a request that caused concern and confusion among customers on at least one occasion.

The grid operator said despite the challenges they were able to avoid grid service interruptions.