California and the western U.S. will experience extreme heat this weekend that will strain the grid with increased energy demands. In response, Governor Gavin Newsom has proclaimed a State of Emergency to temporarily increase energy production and reduce demand. The California Independent System Operator has called a Flex Alert for today, August 31, asking Californians to reduce their electricity consumption between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to save power and reduce the risk of outages.
Actions the state has taken to accelerate our transition to clean energy have put an estimated 4,000 megawatts on the grid that were not available in July 2020. Since then, the state 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 what we are facing today. However, because this heat wave is impacting the entire western United States, limited energy resources are being stretched across multiple 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 those experienced in recent history increasing the length of time the grid will face peak demand.
“This is just the latest reminder of
how real the climate crisis is, and how it
is impacting the everyday lives of Californians,”
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