Ibiza Power

about 600,000 cups of tea

For the third time in a week the demand for electricity in Ibiza has broken all records. On Monday we hit 177 megawatts of power, on Tuesday 180, and on Thursday at precisely 21.48 hours the drain on the 'lecky' reached 187 megawatts!

This high peak was not caused by everybody making a cup of tea during the adverts on the telly, but by the number of air conditioners whirring away in the current heatwave. Electrical boffins have predicted that demand could reach up to 199 megawatts if the high temperatures continue.

Meanwhile some poor householder in Formentera was experiencing personal peaking of his electricity bill which suddenly increased by thousands of Euros a month. Equivalent to about 600,000 cups of tea during the adverts - and he wasn't even living in the house.

It turns out that the bright sparks from the hotel next door had tapped into his meter and were siphoning off his power. The two owners were fined €5400 each to give them a nasty shock!

Published 29 July 2006 Stephen White.

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