HEAT DEMANDS RECORD POWER LOS ANGELES HAS ENOUGH TO SELL EXTRA MEGAWATTS.

Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh and Rick Orlov Staff Writers

Energy providers and city officials pleaded with customers Friday to ease off on the air conditioning and run the dishwasher at night as oppressive heat continued to generate record electricity demand throughout the Southland.

Air conditioners pushed into overdrive as the temperature at Pierce College in Woodland Hills hit a record 109 degrees, shattering the previous high of 106 in 1977. Chatsworth saw 105 degrees - exceeding the 103 high in 1980.

Burbank and Los Angeles both posted their highest-ever electricity demands - 287 megawatts and 5,708 megawatts, respectively. Glendale was close to exceeding its peak demand Friday afternoon.

Roughly 35 percent of power demand in the summer is from air-conditioning units, and the extended heat wave is certainly contributing to the new demand records, said Paul Klein, spokesman for Southern California Edison, which serves customers in Ventura and north Los Angeles counties.

``Homes are hotter and they've been heating for 10 days now, and so the increasing demand for air conditioning is coming earlier and earlier in the day.''

Spurred by a Stage Two Electrical Emergency and low power reserves statewide, Edison began remotely switching off the air-conditioning units of 155,000 customers who agreed to power down in exchange for lower rates. The program saves about 324 megawatts, or enough power for 200,000 homes.

Los Angeles has its own power-generation system and was spared deliberate blackouts this week, but Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa urged residents to conserve as much power as possible so energy could be provided to other areas of the state.

As part of an overall conservation effort in the city, the mayor urged residents to adjust their energy needs during peak hours, turn off lights, adjust thermostats to 78 degrees and open doors and windows to draw in cooler air at night.

``Make no mistake about it, in some cases we are talking about life-and- death situations,'' Villaraigosa said during a news conference in front of the Department of Water and Power headquarters.

``We are fortunate that Los Angeles has enough energy to take care of our needs. But we need to be a good neighbor and help out where we can.''

Shedding his suit jacket, the mayor encouraged L.A. residents to dress comfortably during the heat wave. He said the city may follow a proposal being considered by Los Angeles County officials to allow more casual dress for city workers in return for reducing the use of air conditioners in public buildings.

On Thursday, the DWP set a record of 5,661 megawatts used, which included the sale of 550 megawatts of energy to Southern California Edison Co., as well as to San Diego County. That excess power provided electricity to some 400,000 homes, officials estimated.

Sensitive to past accusations that the DWP has made a windfall profit from energy sales, Villaraigosa and Councilman Tony Cardenas said the city is only charging its costs plus 15 percent.

DWP General Manager Ron Deaton said the extra charge reflects the extra costs incurred to generate the electricity through higher fuel costs or use of the Castaic facilities.

Also, Villaraigosa said, the demands for electricity should not reduce city efforts to increase the use of environmentally sensitive energy sources.

``We still have some of the dirtiest air in the nation and a large number of children and others with asthma or breathing difficulties,'' Villaraigosa said. ``Cleaning up our air means we have to look at a cleaner way to generate power for this city.''

Conservation tips are available at the DWP Web site: www.ladwp.com.

Kerry Cavanaugh, [phone]

kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com