Imperial Irrigation District energy trader Jose Beltran simultaneously keeps track of four computer monitors Wednesday showing information, such as energy consumption, energy load and generators. (JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO / August 23, 2010) |
While many people watch unemployment rates and consumer spending to gauge the economy, Imperial Irrigation District’s David Kolk can analyze the economy through the lens of electricity demand.
“The more businesses that are out there during the day, the more demand on the system,” said Kolk, IID manager of energy supply and trading. “Given the number of businesses that have shuttered down over the last couple of years, we see it in our demand.”
Al Dykstra, IID’s trading floor general superintendent, works in an office that tracks the district’s electrical usage in real time. He said he has noticed the reduced demand on the grid, too.
“Our load is below what we expected,” Dykstra said. “I think it has to do a lot with the economy.”
IID’s energy department has offices in Valley Plaza, a strip mall that has lost anchors like El Centro Ranch Market and Big Lots. Kolk said a “big box” store can consume about a half megawatt, or 500 kilowatts. The typical home consumes about 1.5 kilowatts but can peak at 4 kilowatts, he said.
“If you just drive up and down Imperial Avenue, you can just see the number of empty stores that have gone out of business,” he said.
The combined impact of empty homes and businesses in the Valley can affect the district’s electricity demand. Kolk said electricity consumption is down about 6.5 percent from last year.
He said it remains unknown how much of the 6.5 percent decrease in the district’s electricity use is due to the economy. He said this summer’s lower temperatures have had an effect, as well. However, he said, based on previous observations, a slow economy has decreased electricity demand even when temperatures remain steady.
Kolk, who holds a Ph.D. in economics, said economists use electricity consumption as one way to take an economic pulse. He said across California, electricity demand has fallen about 8 percent to 10 percent compared to two years ago.
“For the nation as a whole, they always look at the total amount of electricity use,” Kolk said. “When electricity use is increasing, you’d expect the GDP to be going up. When electricity use is declining, you expect the economy to be doing worse.”
>> Staff Writer David Steffen can be reached at 760-337-3452 or dsteffen@ivpressonline.com
“The more businesses that are out there during the day, the more demand on the system,” said Kolk, IID manager of energy supply and trading. “Given the number of businesses that have shuttered down over the last couple of years, we see it in our demand.”
Al Dykstra, IID’s trading floor general superintendent, works in an office that tracks the district’s electrical usage in real time. He said he has noticed the reduced demand on the grid, too.
“Our load is below what we expected,” Dykstra said. “I think it has to do a lot with the economy.”
IID’s energy department has offices in Valley Plaza, a strip mall that has lost anchors like El Centro Ranch Market and Big Lots. Kolk said a “big box” store can consume about a half megawatt, or 500 kilowatts. The typical home consumes about 1.5 kilowatts but can peak at 4 kilowatts, he said.
“If you just drive up and down Imperial Avenue, you can just see the number of empty stores that have gone out of business,” he said.
The combined impact of empty homes and businesses in the Valley can affect the district’s electricity demand. Kolk said electricity consumption is down about 6.5 percent from last year.
He said it remains unknown how much of the 6.5 percent decrease in the district’s electricity use is due to the economy. He said this summer’s lower temperatures have had an effect, as well. However, he said, based on previous observations, a slow economy has decreased electricity demand even when temperatures remain steady.
Kolk, who holds a Ph.D. in economics, said economists use electricity consumption as one way to take an economic pulse. He said across California, electricity demand has fallen about 8 percent to 10 percent compared to two years ago.
“For the nation as a whole, they always look at the total amount of electricity use,” Kolk said. “When electricity use is increasing, you’d expect the GDP to be going up. When electricity use is declining, you expect the economy to be doing worse.”
>> Staff Writer David Steffen can be reached at 760-337-3452 or dsteffen@ivpressonline.com
