Dive Summary:

• Michigan-based electric utility Consumers Energy announced Wednesday that its 1.8 million customers used more energy during the past summer than any other season in 125 years.
• The announcement named two records that were set, including an hourly customer demand peak of 9,006 megawatts on July 17 and a high electric send-out of 4.6 million megawatt-hours in July.
• The company also touted the $640 million it has invested in distribution lines, distribution substations and other technology over the last five years.

From the press release:

"... All-time electric records set this summer on Consumers Energy's system include:

-- Highest hourly customer demand peak: 9,006 megawatts set on July 17. That customer demand peak surpassed the previous mark, set in July 2011, by 1 percent.

-- Highest electric sendout for any month: 4.6 million megawatt-hours set during July. Customer demand for electricity in July shattered the previous monthly record, set in July 2011, by 6.5 percent.

Consumers Energy has invested $640 million in its electric system over the past five years. Those investments include rebuilding 117 miles of high-voltage distribution lines, increasing the capacity of a number of distribution substations, and other work to improve the performance of its low-voltage distribution system. Consumers Energy plans to invest about $155 million in its electric system this year to help it meet growing customer demand and make ongoing reliability improvements. ..."