Beginning Wednesday, extreme heat will be experienced in California and the Western U.S. that will strain the grid with increased demand for energy. In response, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to temporarily increase energy production and reduce demand.
The California Independent System Operator issued a Flex Alert yesterday, August 31, asking Californians to reduce their electricity usage between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. to save energy and reduce the risk of blackouts.
Actions the state has taken to accelerate the transition to clean energy have brought approximately 4,000 megawatts of capacity onto the grid that were not available in July 2020. Since then, California has also developed emergency measures including adding generators and a Strategic Energy Reserve, additional procurement, and demand response to produce 2,000 megawatts available to respond to emergency conditions like the one currently facing.
However, as this heat wave is affecting the entire western United States, limited energy resources are being stretched thin across several states.
The prolonged drought has also greatly reduced the state's ability to generate hydroelectric power. Additionally, the duration of this heat wave is unlike any experienced in recent history, increasing the time the grid will face peak demand, the state said in a statement.
“This is just the latest reminder of how real the climate crisis is and how it is impacting the everyday lives of Californians,” Governor Newsom said.
"While we are taking steps to overcome the immediate crisis, this reinforces the need for urgent action to end our dependence on fossil fuels that are destroying our climate and making these heatwaves hotter and more common," he stressed.
The emergency proclamation will allow power plants to generate additional electricity and use backup generators to reduce the amount of energy they need to draw from the grid during periods of peak energy demand during this heat wave.
It also allows ships in California ports to reduce their electricity consumption from the grid.
The government said these are temporary emergency measures, and the state will implement additional mitigation measures to counteract the increase in emissions they will cause.
Temperatures are forecast to begin rising beginning Wednesday, August 31, intensifying over the holiday weekend and extending into Wednesday, September 7.
This will likely be a record-breaking heat wave in the West, with temperatures in Northern California expected to be 10 to 20 degrees warmer than normal, while temperatures in the southern part of the state are expected to be 10 to 18 degrees higher than usual.
The California Independent System Operator is calling on Californians to reduce their energy use through Flex Alert today, and will likely issue additional Flex Alerts in the coming days.
For the coming week, and especially on Sundays and Mondays, Californians should use their air conditioning to pre-cool their homes before 4 p.m. and use major appliances such as washers and dryers during this period.
From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Californians must set their thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and turn off unnecessary lights unless it is unsafe for them to do so.
Today’s action comes amid climate-driven shifts in weather patterns across the Western United States, making heat waves more frequent and severe, impacting public health and critical infrastructure.
Extreme heat especially endangers workers, children, seniors, historically underserved and overburdened communities, and people with underlying health conditions.
It should be noted that severe heat is dangerous for everyone and can be fatal, especially when extreme temperatures last more than a couple of days. Factors that increase risk include older age, chronic and serious illnesses, and environmental overexposure – for example, certain jobs or homelessness.
The government is calling on all those caring for someone at higher risk to keep in regular contact with that person, ensure they can access air-conditioned buildings such as cooling centres and public buildings, and keep them hydrated.
In the event of heat stroke, it is important to call 911 if necessary, wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, use sunscreen, and try to be less active during the hottest part of the day.
Remember to protect your pets from the heat and never leave a child or pet in the car, even if the windows are partially open.
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