KTVU by Jana Katsuyama 8/14/2020
A blistering heat wave over the next several days is prompting the California Independent System Operator to issue a Flex Alert for Friday, which means residents are being asked to reduce power usage from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
California is expected to have record-breaking heat, up to 10-20 degrees above normal in some areas.
The main concern is people running air conditioners longer will put a strain on the power grid. Power supplies also could be even tighter, as cloud cover is expected to cause a drop in solar power.
"The cloud cover obviously reduces the solar output and so that further tightens our electricity supplies," said Anne Gonzales, a California ISO spokeswoman.
CAL-ISO says by federal law, they must maintain power reserves, so if demand outstrips supply, there might be outages.
More:
https://www.ktvu.com/news/residents-asked-to-reduce-power-during-the-california-heat-wave