Flex Alert Starting At 3 p.m. Thursday, Californians Urged To Conserve Power
FOLSOM (AP) - California's power grid operator called for voluntary conservation of electricity Thursday as high heat gripped the state.
The California Independent System Operator issued a Flex Alert for the period from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. due to an expected increase in electricity demand, primarily from use of air conditioning.
Late afternoon and early evening is when the grid is most stressed and solar power production falls.
The heat is being produced by a ridge of high pressure covering the entire West and extending into Alaska, the National Weather Service said.
In mid-August, a heat wave strained the grid to the point that the operator ordered utilities to implement rolling blackouts.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press.
