State declares Flex Alert through Wednesday as heat wave threatens power outages

The state issued a new Flex alert on Sunday calling for conservation of electricity over the next four days of an expected heat wave.

The California ISO issued the Flex Alert from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day Sunday through Wednesday. The Flex Alert is a call to Californians to save energy as a record heat wave persists in the state. It also means consumers should be prepared for power outages in the late afternoon and early evening.

Conservation is necessary due to the energy demands mainly of air conditioning and other equipment used to keep cool. It remains in effect when the sun goes down, as solar energy production decreases even if the heat remains in the evening.

ISO asks Californians:

Keep the air conditioning at 78 degrees. You can also “pre-cool” your home by setting it to a cooler temperature in the morning before electricity demand peaks.

Postpone the use of major household appliances.

Turn off unnecessary lights and unplug unused devices.

Close the blinds and curtains.