Reduce Electricity Usage During Heatwave

Source: Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management

High temps across CA could negatively impact SoCal electrical systems this weekend. Please reduce electricity usage during this heat wave.

The latest forecast calls for this week’s heat wave to continue through the holiday weekend. Along with the heat, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) is forecasting record demand on the region’s electricity system. The CAISO has issued a Flex Alert for today that will be in effect from 1 p.m. this afternoon until 10 p.m. this evening.   

In support of the Flex Alert, SoCalGas, in partnership with the Energy Providers of Southern California, is urging customers to conserve electricity and natural gas during the current heat wave.

About 60 percent of the electricity generated in California comes from power plants that run on natural gas. Because there is still limited availability of natural gas from the Aliso Canyon storage facility, there is less natural gas locally to produce electricity, particularly during high-usage periods. This could lead to power outages. To avoid the risk of outages, Conserve Energy SoCal is calling on Southern Californians to come together and reduce energy use by using the following conservation tips, also available here.

• Set your AC to 78 degrees, and turn it off when away. Learn more about AC myths and the best ways to use your AC energy efficiently here.
• Cool with fans and by drawing drapes.
• < span style='color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;'>Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances.
• Avoid using major appliances during the afternoon and early evening.

The Flex Alert program achieved an average of 500 megawatts in voluntary conservation during each of three alerts issued last summer. That equates roughly to the amount of electricity used to power about 500,000 homes.

The Energy Providers of Southern California created Conserve Energy SoCal – a campaign that promotes energy conservation during the summer months by highlighting the links between the region’s natural gas and electricity systems. The program was first introduced last summer to bring Southern Californians together to conserve energy, save money and reduce the risk of natural gas and electricity shortages.

For more information on ways to conserve, visit ConserveEnergySoCal.com, or get updates and tips from Conserve Energy SoCal on Twitter and Facebook. You can also sign up to receive Flex Alerts here