Officials hope the same tactic will work today. ComEd officials noted that blackouts yesterday were avoided by only the slimmest of margins. Demand for power yesterday peaked at a level slightly less than the record set in the fierce summer heat of 1995, the spokesman noted. If demand should outstrip supply today, ComEd officials warned it might have to begin rolling outages. The utility is again appealing to the public to conserve as much as it can.
City officials are prepared to meet the human dimension of the heat wave.
More than 140 cooling centers in government buildings have been opened to the public. Staff members from the city's departments of Human Services and Aging will continue to check on the elderly and disabled in their homes. Chicago Transportation Department officials are prepared to deal with possible electrical service disruptions that would affect train signals and switching systems on the commuter rail system. FEMA's Region V office in Chicago is monitoring the situation and reports that the governors and mayors of the affected states and major cities are in constant contact with power officials.