CA power grid declares Flex Alert for Monday, asks for electricity conservation
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The manager of California's power grid has issued a statewide Flex Alert for Monday, asking residents and businesses to cut back on power usage to prevent strain on the system.
The California Independent System Operator is calling on Californians to save power between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Monday.
In a statement, California ISO said:
"With electric transmission lines from Oregon still unreliable due to the explosive Bootleg Fire and continued high temperatures across the West resulting in increased demand for electricity, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) issued a statewide Flex Alert for Monday, July 12 to help stabilize the state's electric grid and deal with uncertainty created by the extraordinary conditions."
A Flex Alert was not in effect Sunday, but demand is expected to increase with the start of the work week. Adding to the concern is a massive brush fire in Oregon, which is threatening power lines that bring energy to California.
During the hours that a Flex Alert is in effect, consumers are strongly encouraged to take these specific actions:
- Set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, if your health permits
- Avoid using major appliances, like dish washers and clothes washers and dryers
- Turn off all unnecessary lights
Consumers are also encouraged to use fans for cooling and unplug unused electrical items.
In the hours before a Flex Alert takes effect, consumers are encouraged to take the following steps, which help people be more comfortable when cutting back on their electricity usage:
- Pre-cool your home by lowering the thermostat
- If you need to use your major appliances, do it earlier in the day, when solar energy is abundant
- Close window coverings to keep your home or apartment cool
- Take advantage of the solar energy to charge electronic devices and electric vehicles so there's no need to do it later, when solar is not available
VIDEO: What's a Flex Alert?
