MPR: Turning from coal means more demand for nuclear and alternative energy sources

MPR: Turning from coal means more demand for nuclear and alternative energy sources: "Homeowners are putting new loads in their home all the time. They're buying new computers, new televisions, they're putting in a second refrigerator,' says Brekke. 'Those things are all adding to the sales (of electricity); meanwhile we've got efficiency that's reducing the sales. There's no great way to measure how much of the sales increase caused by new loads in home versus how much savings by putting in CFLs.' CFLs are compact fluorescent lights. Great River Energy is asking its customers to switch five regular light bulbs to CFLs. That could save 6.5 percent of the energy demand from its residential customers. It will take years to achieve that goal, Brekke says. Besides conservation and carbon emission reduction goals, Minnesota is now requiring its utilities to use renewable sources for 25 percent of their electricity by 2025. "