State power grid manager warns of Flex Alerts during high heat

With temperatures soaring across the Southland and beyond, the manager of the state’s power grid warned Tuesday that it may issue a series of calls for residents to conserve electricity during peak hours to prevent strain on the system.

The California Independent System Operator noted that it has already issued a Restricted Maintenance Operations order that will take effect Wednesday and continue through next Tuesday, limiting maintenance operations between noon and 10 p.m. each day to ensure all power systems remain in service.

With the hottest weather anticipated over the Labor Day weekend, Cal-ISO warned that it may be issuing Flex Alerts, which are calls for voluntary power conservation during peak hours, generally between 4 and 9 p.m.

“Lowering electricity use during that time will ease strain on the system, and prevent more drastic measures, including rotating power outages,” according to Cal-ISO.

During Flex Alerts, residents are urged to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and turn off unnecessary lights.

Cal-ISO noted that its current forecast shows that peak electricity demand could exceed 48,000 megawatts on Monday, the highest demand of the year.

More from Sustainability