LOS ANGELES, California: Amidst a heatwave affecting much of the state and placing pressure on power supplies, this week the California Independent System Operator urged the state’s 40 million residents to reduce their electricity use in homes and businesses.
Temperatures in the state’s inland valleys rose above 100 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), and reached 108 F (42 C) in Southern California’s Imperial County on the Mexican border and 107 F (42 C) in parts of Northern California’s Shasta and Tehama counties.
Scientists stressed that spells of excessive heat will become more frequent, placing further pressure on power and water utilities.
To prevent power outages, California Independent System Operator asked residents and businesses to preset their thermostats to 78F (26C) and turn off lights and appliances.
It also made similar power usage requests when the region experienced record-breaking hot weather during summer and fall over the past two years.
This week, it said that power demand could peak at 44,919 megawatts (MW), the highest since September 2020 when this figure reached 47,236 MW.
On a normal day, one megawatt can power some 1,000 U.S. homes, while on a hot summer day it can only power around 500 homes.
Power prices during the day in Southern California and in Washington state could, therefore, rise to their highest levels since September 2021.
More drastic cuts in water usage were also required to maintain supplies held in reservoirs, which are crucial to seven Western states, the U.S. government said this week.
Authorities stressed that this summer, two Colorado River reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have fallen to just above 25 percent of their capacity, and if they fall much lower, they will no longer generate hydroelectric power for millions of customers in the West.
