The warm temperatures are making the dials on electric meters across the state spin a little faster as air conditioners try to keep up. Alliant Energy spokesman, Justin Foss, says they have seen electric usage increase the last two days as temperatures soared. He says things are made worse because the temperatures are not dropping very far in the evening. “When it’s also hot at night, these factories and your homes don’t have a chance to really cool down very well, and so it just stays hot. And the longer it goes and the hotter it is, it just compounds upon itself,” Foss says.

Alliant has implemented a program energy saving program for residential customers that kicks in when it gets this hot. “From one until seven, on days when it is hot enough that we need to trigger it, it will turn the compressor unit of your air conditioning off in 15 minute cycles,” Foss explains. “However, it will let your furnace fan continue to run, so it will continue to blow the air throughout the house just like your airconditioning system normally would run, according to Foss.

Iowa’s other major utility company, MidAmerican Energy, has a similar residential program called “summer saver.” MidAmerican spokesperson, Abby Bottenfield says they also have a program for businesses to reduce power usage. “The company works with those customers during these events to reduce their energy use, by either reducing their use of the air conditioning, reducing or shifting the operation of other equipment, or by using auxiliary or onsite electrical generation,” Bottenfield says. The electric companies are trying to avoid hitting their peak electric use. Bottenfield doesn’t know how close they will get to the peak in this latest heat wave.

“We get close to our peak usage when we start using our summer saver and curtailment program, but right now we are not sure if we will hit the peak usage,” Bottenfield says. Alliant’s Foss says some people get the wrong idea that the company will run out of electricity of people don’t conserve during high usage periods. “It’s not about running out of energy. These programs, what they do is they make it more economical for everybody. Because when you’re hitting you peak and when you’re using that much energy, you have to buy it out on the open market,” Foss says. “And when it’s hot like this, the rules of supply of demand really come in, where the more energy that is being used, the more expensive it gets.” Foss says Alliant has used its cycling program two other times this year, both were in July.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to force the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop planting genetically modified crops in wildlife refuges in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri. The federal lawsuit was filed today by the Center for Food Safety, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, the Sierra Club, and Beyond Pesticides. It alleges the Fish and Wildlife Service unlawfully entered into farming contracts without an environmental analysis.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government says it has found no food safety violations at a Mexican farm linked to a cyclospora outbreak in Iowa and Nebraska. The Food and Drug Administration is letting Taylor Farms de Mexico resume operations. More than 240 illnesses have been traced to the company’s salad mix served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s medical board holds a public hearing today on whether the state should continue allowing abortion pills to be delivered through a video-conferencing system. Activists say Planned Parenthood’s system is dangerous because patients don’t personally see a doctor. Supporters say the system helps women in remote areas.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A new starting quarterback with a sterling prep resume should be reason for optimism at Iowa, which has seen its victories dip three years in a row. But the Hawkeyes and their win-starved fans don’t quite know what to expect from sophomore Jake Rudock. Rudock emerged from a three-man competition this offseason as the leader of an offense seeking major improvements in 2012.

Officials with the Guthrie County Extension Service say for a sweet end of summer, you should plan now to attend the third annual Guthrie County 4-H Foundation’s Pie Auction. The Foundation invites you to attend the Guthrie County Fair on Sunday, September 1st, with the auction taking place in the Show Arena during the lunch break of the 4-H Cattle show. Homemade fruit pies will be auctioned-off to help raise money for scholarships and other 4-H youth projects.

All pies are donated from the 4-H clubs and individual 4-H members (most are blue ribbon recipes). All of the money raised in the auction stays in Guthrie County. Last year, the foundation made $914.00 and the goal this year is to break $1,000.

One person was injured when a vehicle hit a pedestrian Monday, in Harlan. According to the Harlan Police Department, the accident happened Monday, in the HyVee parking lot. Officials say Paul Frederiksen, of Walnut, was backing out of a parking spot when he struck Kaomi Sorensen, of Harlan, who was walking behind the truck. Sorensen was transported to Myrtue Medical Center by Frederiksen. She was treated for minor injuries and released.

The Harlan Police Department reports that on August 21st, Deborah and John Peck of Harlan reported that their red 2003 scooter was missing from their residence in the 500 block of Broadway. There are no suspects and the case remains under investigation.

Also on August 21st, officers were called to a disturbance at the Westside Lounge. Following an investigation, 40-year old Tyler Parkhurst of Harlan and 22-year old Mark Rothenberger of Wausau, WI were both taken into custody and taken to the Shelby County Jail. Parkhurst was charged with assault with bodily injury, disorderly conduct and interference with official acts. Rothenberger was charged with assault with bodily injury and disorderly conduct.

On August 23rd, three suspects were taken into custody when officers were investigating a suspicious vehicle and driver. 28-year old Christopher Terwilleger of Manilla was arrested and charged with driving under suspension, possession of drug paraphernalia, trespass, child endangerment, prohibited acts penalties and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. 24-year old Danielle Moore of Manilla was charged with permitting an unauthorized person to drive, possession of drug paraphernalia, child endangerment, prohibited acts penalties, and aiding and abetting. Also charged with 47-year old Michelle Farrow of Harlan. She was charged with disorderly conduct and interference with official acts. All three were transported to the Shelby County Jail.

On August 24th, 31-year old Larry Clemons of Manilla was arrested following a traffic stop. Clemons was taken to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Also on August 24th, 23-year old Brooke Scheffler and 33-year old Faith Peterson, both of Harlan were arrested when officers observed them involved in an altercation in the 700 block of Court Street. Both were taken to the Shelby County Jail where they were charged with disorderly conduct.

On August 25th, 21-year old Micah Finken of Harlan was cited for driving under suspension following a traffic stop. Finken was cited and released.

On August 27th, 35-year old Jeremy Lloyd Smith of Defiance was arrested when officers were dispatched to an erratic driver on Highway 59. Smith was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of prescription drugs.

The Atlantic Fire Department and Atlantic Police responded to a report of smoke in the hallway at the Walnut Hill Terrace Apartments (1310 E. 10th Street) this (Tuesday) afternoon. Officers with the Atlantic P-D were first on the scene and confirmed there was smoke in the hallway, but it was the result of food burning in a cooking utensil, and there was no actual fire. The call came in at 4:22-p.m. The hallway was ventilated and fire units returned to station less than 10-minutes later. There were no injuries.