Greeks urged to use less power as worst heatwave in decades tests grid

Holding Admie Ipto SA

02/08/2021 15:03

ATHENS, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Greek authorities urged citizens
to conserve electricity as the worst heatwave in more than 30
years pushed the power system to its limits on Monday and
wildfires continued to burn in many areas.
    With the weather service forecasting temperatures as high as
44 Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) this week, energy authorities have
warned that power demand will skyrocket, testing the capacity of
an electricity grid already burdened by more than 3 million
holiday makers during the summer tourist season.
    "We're dealing with the worst heatwave since 1987," Prime
Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after attending a meeting at a
power management centre. "Everything humanly possible has been
done to secure the country's power supply. But we are also
asking consumers to help us."
    As Europe's summer of extreme weather continued, Greek
firefighters have tackled more than 100 forest fires in the last
24 hours, including one on the island of Rhodes, just across the
Strait of Marmara from Turkey, where fires have killed at least
8 people.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2P807B
    Authorities advised people to limit power usage at peak
times in the afternoon and evening to prevent the electricity
system collapsing, with households and businesses turning up air
conditioners to seek relief from the brutal heat.
    Greece's power grid operator IPTO  ADMr.AT  might ask big
industries to voluntarily disconnect from the grid for a few
hours and seek to import power from neighbouring countries.
    More than 1,000 people died during the week-long 1987
heatwave and authorities have opened air conditioned rooms for
the homeless.
    "It's just very hot. I am not used to it. It's been a lovely
day but very, very hot," said Gordon Teahy, a tourist from
Scotland, sitting in the shade of a tree outside the Acropolis
of Athens, which was shut for part of the day on Monday to
protect visitors from the heat.

 (Reporting by Phoebe Fronista and Angeliki Koutantou)
 ((angeliki.koutantou@thomsonreuters.com; +30 2102214608;
Reuters Messaging: angeliki.koutantou.reuters.com@reuters.net))