California is urging residents to curtail their energy use for a second day in a row as the state braces for a heat wave ahead of the Labor Day weekend.
Huge swaths of the West could see temperatures surpass 100 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The California Independent System Operator (ISO) has issued a “Flex Alert” for Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., due to high heat across the state and supply uncertainties.
The flex alert was issued for a second day in a row and as the operator said it is experiencing some of the highest load levels of the year.
Residents have been asked to pre-cool their homes before 4 p.m. and then set the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. They have also been asked to cease the use of major appliances and to avoid charging their electric vehicles during the flex hours.
In a release, the California ISO added that overnight temperatures are staying high, which can cause buildings and infrastructure to retain heat and result in increased air conditioner use.
“During multiple days of heat, generators that have been running at top speed can fail or
trip offline unexpectedly. We also have to expect the unexpected, meaning we need to be prepared for any unplanned event that could tighten energy supplies,” it added.
The time slot was chosen as it is the “most critical time” on the grid, according to the operator, as solar production is “going offline, but temperatures remain high.”
“Turn off all unnecessary lights from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Cook your meals earlier in the day to save energy and keep your home cooler,” it added.
This comes as California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency Wednesday to increase power production and urged residents to reduce electricity use as a heat wave spread over the West.
Temperatures that are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees above normal pushed up energy demand, primarily from air conditioning use, and tightened available power supplies. More alerts are likely through the Labor Day weekend, officials said.
Temperatures on Sunday and Monday could hit up to 100 degrees on the coast and up to 115 inland, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“All of us have been trying to outrun Mother Nature, but it’s pretty clear Mother Nature has outrun us,” Newsom said. “The reality is we’re living in an era of extremes: extreme heat, extreme drought — and with the flooding we’re experiencing around the globe.”
However, state officials have been criticized over the guidance. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (La.) shared the notice in a tweet and said: “This from the same state that’s going to force everyone to buy electric cars by 2035.”
Includes Associated Press reporting