As America grows in population, electrical companies across the country are working harder and harder to supply enough power for homes in the same service area.

Not only has the number of homes risen in recent years, but in many cases the number of people living in each home has also increased.

Furthermore, each person is using more electronic devices than ever before as more people turn to cellphones, computers, mp3 players, e-readers and more for their entertainment.

So it’s no surprise that Dominion Virginia Power recently cut a swath through Suffolk with new power transmission lines, and none too soon for an incredible heat wave that has broken all kinds of records.

On Friday, the power company’s customers set a new demand record, pulling 20,061 megawatts of electricity from the company’s lines.

The previous record had stood for less than four years before it was broken.

Dominion so far has been able to keep up with the demand, a company spokesman said Tuesday. But there surely is a tipping point somewhere on the horizon, where demand will outpace supply.

It’s time for a little moderation in the amount of power we use. Nobody should sit in a house without air-conditioning during triple-digit weather, but cutting down on electricity use whenever possible is the responsible thing to do. We all have to share the power generated by the power companies. Let’s conserve wherever we can.