With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Why the heat wave hasn't taken down the state's power grid
The sun shines behind electrical power lines during a heat wave.
(
Patrick T. Fallon
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Topline:
July has brought record-breaking heat for this time of year to much of the Southland, mostly inland. But we haven’t been hit with flex alerts or concerns about rolling power outages due to a boost in battery storage.
More battery storage: The state has nearly doubled its amount of battery storage in just the last two years. That’s kept the grid stable during hot evenings when solar power declines. Increased coordination and cooperation around the state and the West also helped. California has even had energy left over to share with other western states facing electricity shortages, helping avoid outages even when a power demand record was broken on the broader western energy grid.
The background: The last time we had flex alerts — calls to voluntarily conserve energy — was during a record-long heat wave in early September 2022. The state avoided rolling power outages because people heeded the call to conserve energy. And the last time we had rolling power outages was in 2020, when wildfires and heat put record strain on the power grid.
Sponsored message
What’s next: Peak energy demand so far has been about 10,000 MW short of the demand that prompted the September 2022 flex alerts. July is typically the hottest month across the state, but August and September are the hottest here in much of Southern California, when the marine layer burns off and the Santa Ana winds pick up. So upcoming months will be a big test, but the big jump in battery storage should be a significant help this time around.
Go deeper:
Can The Power Grid Keep Up With Worsening Heat And Fewer Fossil Fuels?
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
