Power suppliers say they can meet spike in demand

Local homes won't have to worry about interruptions in electric service as the current heat wave continues, say local electricity suppliers.

The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s for the next week -- conditions guaranteed to create a spike in demand for electricity.

"We expect to set our system peak some time within the next week," said Don Schuette, director of Jackson's city-administered electric utilities.

But Ameren, Jackson and the SEMO Electric Cooperative all say they will have enough power to meet those demands.

"We shouldn't have any real problem as far as continuous flow into the city," Schuette said.

Ameren spokesman Tim Fox said the company should generate sufficient quantities of power from its plants to meet demand in Missouri and Illinois. The company also performs regular maintenance on its power distribution system -- the lines that carry power to homes and businesses -- to make sure peak performance is maintained during times of high demand.