In Ames this week, rising heat has meant the city’s air conditioners are running full steam, but area power plants say they can handle the extra strain on their facilities.

Gary Titus, assistant director of the Ames Municipal Electric System, said his company has not hit any new peaks for power usage due to the weather yet this summer.

“We plan and design for [heat waves],” Titus said. “We also have reserves if we have equipment problems.”

He said the highest peak the company hit last summer was 103.5 megawatts.

Titus said the temperature of last summer’s peak happened on a 98-degree day, which built up from several hot days in a row.

Although temperatures have been scorching for nearly a week, Titus said his system has not peaked that high yet this year.

ISU Director of Utilities Dave Miller said the ISU campus has not seen a significant increase in the use of energy.

“When we look for peaks, it is usually in August when the students come back to school,” he said.

Miller said the food kitchens on campus require a lot of energy and would contribute to a peak.

Miller said the peak this summer on campus was 29.1 megawatts on June 9, compared to typical summer use of 26 to 27 megawatts.

He said because some of the dorms are not in use during the summer, peaks naturally will be lower.

Miller said most of the activities on campus during the summer are usually held outdoors so the levels of energy are not as significant.

The day of week is also a key indicator as to whether energy usage will spike up at the university, he said.

“It matters if it happens on weekdays or weekends,” he said.

Despite the heat causing relatively low strain on power companies in the community, an extended period of hot days can raise the cost and amount of energy used in running an air conditioner. This can put quite a strain on an ISU student.

“Our utilities bill went up by almost $70 last month,” said Ashley Stolk, junior in finance. “It’s either pay the money or suffer in the heat, and we decided to pay the money.”