CALIFORNIA, USA — Demand for power is expected to approach record levels as California calls for a sixth day of conservation.
It's the latest call for a Flex Alert as California grapples with historic levels of heat, which are expected for the next several days along.
The California Independent System Operator (California ISO), which operates the state's power grid, is calling for more conservation and lower electricity use in Monday afternoon and evening to lessen the burden on the power grid.
“Starting tomorrow, this multi-day event is going to get much more intense,” said ISO President and CEO Elliot Mainzer. “We are facing a load forecast of 48,817 megawatts and energy deficits between 2,000 and 4,000 megawatts for Monday, resulting in the highest likelihood of rotating outages we have seen so far this summer.
The state's grid operator extended the call for conservation to between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday. Officials said the extra hour of conservation is due to "projected market deficiencies through 10 p.m."
Flex Alerts and calls to conserve power are expected again as the triple-digit temperatures are expected at least through Friday, with Monday and Tuesday being the most challenging days ahead.
Officials are asking Californians to do the following before 4 p.m.:
- Pre-cool home by setting the thermostat to as low as 72 degrees
- Use major appliances, including:
- Washer and dryer
- Dishwasher
- Oven and stove for pre-cooking and preparing meals
- Adjust blinds and drapes to cover windows
They're also asking Californians to do the following between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.:
- Set thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits
- Avoid using major appliances
- Turn off all unnecessary lights
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