An extended stretch of hot weather is expected this week, with Thursday, July 2, forecasted to be the peak-demand day as temperatures are expected to reach 100 degrees. As our community prepares for the heat, Westfield Gas + Electric (WG+E) is preparing for increased energy demand and encouraging customers to help conserve energy when possible.
WG+E is issuing a Summer Energy Alert and asking customers to consider reducing their electricity use between the peak hours of 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM on Thursday, July 2. These short periods are when demand for electricity is typically at its highest. Reducing energy use during this time helps lower overall demand and can help keep electricity costs lower for Westfield customers.
Residential customers can help by:
- Turning off lights when leaving a room
- Setting thermostats a few degrees higher during hot afternoons
(Tip: Pre-cool your home an hour or two before the peak hours to help stay comfortable.) - Running dishwashers, washers, dryers, and other large appliances before or after peak hours
- Using energy-efficient appliances when possible
Commercial customers can help by:
- Pre-cooling spaces before the peak-demand period and temporarily adjusting temperatures during peak hours. For example:
- 4:00 PM: Lower to 68°
- 5:00 PM: Set thermostat to 75°
- 9:00 PM: Reset back to your standard settings
“We know hot weather can impact everyone, and our team is prepared to help keep Westfield powered throughout the heat wave,” said Tom Flaherty, General Manager. “We appreciate our customers doing what they can to conserve energy during peak hours on Thursday. Every effort helps.”
Additional WG+E crews will be on-call to respond to any heat-related outages that may occur.
For more information on energy-saving tips and the Summer Energy Alert, visit: www.wgeld.org/news/sea-2026.