With heat wave about to fade, California pleads for ‘one more day’ of energy conservation

The managers of California’s power grid called for a 10th straight day of energy conservation Friday, saying they believe conditions will return to normal as a record heat wave runs its course.

The Independent System Operator issued another Flex Alert for 4 to 9 p.m., urging Californians to turn their thermostats up to 78 degrees.

Although temperatures statewide were falling compared to earlier in the week, the ISO’s chief executive Elliot Mainzer asked for “one more day” of cooperation from consumers.

Demand for electricity was expected to peak at a relatively modest 46,700 megawatts late Friday afternoon, considerably below the record 52,061 set Tuesday. But smoke from the Mosquito Fire in Placer and El Dorado counties, combined with cloud cover from a tropical storm rolling into Southern California, was expected to erase at least 5,000 megawatts of solar power from the grid, said Mark Rothleder, the ISO’s chief operating officer.

(How to save power during a Flex Alert)

California has become increasingly dependent on solar and wind power in recent years, which can heighten the risk of rolling blackouts in the evenings during major heat waves. The state endured two nights of blackouts in August 2020, and narrowly escaped blackouts Tuesday night. It’s likely that an emergency text alert from the state Office of Emergency Services, warning millions of Californians to ramp up their thermostats, was what made the difference Tuesday.

On Friday, with solar supplies hampered, energy officials were forced to beg for conservation once more.

“Help us get through one more very intense night on the grid,” Mainzer said.