California’s energy operator has issued a statewide Flex Alert for Monday, July 12 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Independent System Operator, the non-profit that oversees the electric grid for most of the state, said it is calling on consumers to reduce their energy use because of stress to the electrical grid caused by “unreliable” electric transmission resulting from Oregon’s Bootleg Fire and high temperatures across the western United States.
The ISO generally issues Flex Alerts when the state’s electric grid is under stress related to problems generating electricity, transmission issues or extreme heat. Consumers are strongly encouraged to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using major appliances and turn off all unnecessary lights while the Flex Alert is in effect.
The energy operator asked that consumers conserve as much energy as possible on Monday between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to “help stabilize the state’s electric grid and deal with uncertainty created by the extraordinary conditions.”
Monday’s Flex Alert comes on the heels of the Friday, July 9 Flex Alert, which was also caused by extreme heat. The alert was then extended to Saturday. Over the weekend, Death Valley reached a record-making temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature matched a previous high reached last August.
Southland residents in the Antelope Valley also have an excessive heat warning in place through 9 p.m. Monday with the National Weather Service expecting "dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 113."
County officials said residents without air conditioning at home can take advantage of cooling centers, with information on locations available at https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or by calling 211.