High Temperatures May Cause Flex Alerts This Week

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which oversees most of the state’s power grid, has warned that high temperatures this week could lead to electricity supply shortages.

The grid operator said it’s possible it may need to issue a flex alert, an emergency alert asking the public to voluntarily conserve energy.

While Southern California temperatures are expected to remain close to normal for this time of year, those temperatures will still be high, from the mid-90s to over 100 degrees.

CAISO stated it's keeping a close eye on the desert regions and Inland Empire, which will see the highest temperatures, at least through Thursday.

Widespread heat

If a flex alert does come, it will be important to heed it. This week’s heat is expected to be widespread across the West — the Desert Southwest and Pacific Northwest are expecting temperatures up to 25 degrees above normal.

That further threatens our electricity supply in California, because their power grids will be stretched thin, limiting how much energy is available to us. California imports more energy than any other state.

CAISO says that so far, current power supplies are expected to be sufficient, but the operator may need to import from other states or issue a flex alert. Increased hydropower from our wet winter and a boost in battery storage for solar power have been a big help this year.

Hottest still to come

August and September have long been California’s hottest and most fire-prone months, and the climate crisis is only making it worse. For example, last year during Labor Day, we had a record-long and hot heat wave, that led to an all-time record in energy demand, but thanks to the public’s response and a boost in battery storage, rolling outages were avoided.

Time to prepare

Make sure you have a plan for if the power does go out or you’re worried about your electric bill. The city and county of L.A. have official cooling centers, such as libraries and community centers. And if you haven’t prepared for fire yet, here’s our guide on that.

Go deeper:

• Can The Power Grid Keep Up With Worsening Heat And Fewer Fossil Fuels?
• Understanding Flex Alerts
• The Climate Crisis Is Changing The Definition Of Extreme Heat