A statewide Flex Alert calls on Californians to voluntarily cut back on power between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. today to avoid strain on California's electrical grid.
This comes as the state experiences above-normal temperatures in the San Diego area. The alert was issued by the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state's power grid.
Consumers are asked to set their thermostats to 78 degrees or higher. If health permits, take other voluntary measures, including avoiding the use of major appliances and unnecessary lights.Officials also recommend to pre-cool homes to 72 degrees and closing blinds and drapes.
A Flex Alert is typically issued in the summer when extremely hot weather drives up electricity use, making the available power supply scarce. This usually happens in the evening hours when solar generation is going offline, and consumers are returning home and switching on air conditioners, lights, and appliances.
“With above-normal temperatures in the forecast across much of the state (Wednesday), the power grid operator is expecting an increase in electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use, and is calling for voluntary conservation steps to help balance supply and demand,'' according to a statement from Cal-ISO.
For more information on Flex Alerts and to get additional conservation tips to visit www.flexalert.org.
