City of Ames officials hope this strech of hot weather doesn't bring a new record for electricity demand. Electric Services Director Don Kom says they're doing everything they can to avoid eclipsing the nearly 131 megawatts used in 2012. He says all Ames taxpayers have a financial interest in stalling peak demand. Kom says new records for electricity use means the possible addition of more capacity--at a cost of millions of dollars. He says a committment to sustainable sources of energy, like solar and wind, will also expand the city's ability to meet peak demand. Midamerican Energy also issued a "peak alert" thursday because of the hot, humid weather.