California issues power Flex Alert from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday evening

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Golden State is calling to conserve power Monday afternoon into the evening. On Sunday California Governor, Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to secure additional power to help maintain grid stability through the weekend. The executive order remains in place. 

During the power Flex Alert, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) recommends Californians to take the following actions from 4 to 9 p.m.:

• Set thermostats to 78 degrees or high, health permitting
• Avoid using major appliances like washing machines and dryers
• Turn off all unnecessary lights and power using devices

Earlier in the day before the Flex Alert, when solar power is more abundant,  the ISO encourages customers to:

• Pre-cool homes by lowering the thermostat
• Use major appliances that are needed like washing machines and dryers before the alert
• Close the home’s windows to keep the home cool
• Charge devices and electric cars

In a statement, the ISO wrote, “As California’s ability to store solar and wind energy with batteries or other technology continues to improve, those crucial evening hours will be less of a challenge and similar emergencies rarer. But for now, collective action to conserve is our most effective way to keep the grid stable. A Flex Alert is issued by the ISO when the electricity grid is under stress because of generation or transmission outages, or from persistent hot temperatures.”

For more information about California’s power grid visit the ISO’s website.