Glendale faces rolling black outs if residents do not conserve power

As people try to cope with this sweltering heat wave by blasting their air conditioning during a Statewide Grid Emergency Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked residents to conserve power for the third straight day.

"We are anticipating this extreme heat to be a length and duration the likes of which we haven't experienced in some time," Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday. "Yes, we're used to record-breaking temperatures, maybe a day or two, more episodic, but this is an extended period." 

The Flex Alert urges residents to voluntarily reduce their electricity usage between 4 and 9 p.m. The record-high temperatures coupled with the increased use of air conditioning have pushed the state's power grid to its limits, forcing some cities like Glendale to consider rolling blackouts.

Deputy General Manager of Glendale Water and Power Steve Nersesyan explained the reason for the rolling blackouts.

"What we are trying to do is lessen the effects on our load," he said.

However, if residents fail to conserve enough energy, the city will implement rolling blackouts, for one hour at a time, during the Labor Day weekend from Sunday through Tuesday.

"If everybody does their part, we're going to be fine," said Nersesyan.  

At Glendale's Launderland electricity is one of Ross Weston's biggest expenses but there's a greater cost if the power goes out. 

"If we lose power, I think everything pretty much stops," he said. "We can't do payments. The machines can't turn."

The gravity of the situation has not been lost on residents like Anthony Papastrat who decided to wash his clothes at a laundromat since the machines at his apartment typically need three cycles to dry out one load. 

"The fact that it's more efficient is better for the community as well," he said. 

Weston, who uses energy-efficient equipment at his shop, hopes that residents do their part to conserve power so his business can keep running. 

"We don't make money if we don't have the power," he said. 

To conserve energy, GWP recommended residents:

• Limit appliance use during peak hours of the day. Use them in early morning hours or after 8:00 p.m.
• Adjust air conditioning thermostats to 78 when home and set thermostats to 80 degrees when not home, keeping in mind the health of family members and pets.
• Charge your electrical vehicles after 9:00 p.m. Click here for information regarding GWP's Off-Peak EV Charging Rebate Program.
• Run pool pumps earlier in the morning. Ensure they are not running between 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
• Use a ceiling fan instead of the AC whenever possible. Remember fans cool people not rooms.
• Close all curtains and blinds to keep out direct sunlight and keep your home cool.
• Make sure all HVAC vents are clean and filters have been replaced.
• Turn off lights in rooms that are not in use.
• Use LEDs wherever possible since they don't give off heat and are more efficient.
• Air dry dishes to avoid using the dishwasher.
• Keep refrigerators full since a full one uses less energy. Don't open the refrigerator during outages.
• Unplug "energy vampires" - cell phone chargers, DVD players, microwave ovens, and other appliances with digital clocks that use energy even when turned off or in sleep mode.
• When possible, businesses should shift power-intensive work processes to morning or evening hours