California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO) issued its first-ever Flex Alert of the summer on Monday amid heat wave and wildfire threats that could threaten power output on Monday. Flex Alerts are issued when a significant or unexpected event impacts a transmission system operator’s ability to maintain adequate power supply to consumers.
California’s ISO grid operators have ordered a Flex Alert to its electric transmission system due to potential impacts of a record-breaking heat wave and a wildfire that has been burning near the Bambi and Rye power lines in northern California for several days. A Flex Alert is a power system disturbance to maintain reliable power flow during sudden changes in the system.
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The California Independent System Operator has issued another nationwide Flex Alert for Monday, asking residents to use electricity sparingly from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
U.S. Forest Ranger Jeannette Jurado measures the surface temperature with an unofficial thermometer that reads 132 degrees Fahrenheit at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center on the 11th. July 2021 in Death Valley National Park, California. (Getty Images)
This is the third flex alert in the last four days. Cal ISO, the independent nonprofit organization that oversees the state’s energy system, issues a flex alert when high energy consumption threatens to strain the state’s energy system.
The strain on the power grid is due to a combination of extreme heat in large parts of the state and a worsening forest fire in southern Oregon that damaged transmission lines carrying power to California.
During the flexible alert period, people are asked to keep air conditioner thermostats below 78 degrees and limit the use of large appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers. You should also turn off lights and unplug cell phone chargers when not in use.
The Bootleg Fire, burning in the Fremont-Winema National Forest in southern Oregon, has burned more than 146,000 acres. According to CBS San Francisco, the fire continues to threaten Route 66, a major corridor of transmission lines that connects California’s power grid to utilities in the Pacific Northwest.
Transmission lines destroyed by the Oregon Bootleg Fire are still out of service, limiting the supply of 5,500 megawatts of power normally imported to California and other balancing authorities in southern Oregon, Cal ISO announced Sunday on Twitter.
Last year, heat waves caused power outages in California for the first time since 2001 and contributed to a historic number of wildfires in the state, destroying thousands of homes and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate.
Temperatures are expected to rise sharply in the Antelope Valley on Friday. An excessive heat warning is in effect until 9 p.m. in the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster, where temperatures can reach 110 degrees.
A heat warning is in effect in the mountains of Los Angeles County, with the exception of the Santa Monica Mountains, until 9 p.m., with temperatures in those areas reaching 107 degrees.
Residents are encouraged to watch for heat-related illnesses in their homes and communities. Symptoms of heat stroke, a medical emergency, include fever, confusion and decreased consciousness. In that case, call 911.
Heat stroke can occur when a person exerts themselves in extreme heat and feels dizzy, dehydrated and may even faint.
Vulnerable persons include very young children, the elderly and persons with certain disabilities. Nonetheless, everyone is urged to take precautions and pay attention to their neighbors who are particularly exposed.
CBSLA meteorologist Amber Lee says a slight cooling is expected mid-week as the high pressure system moves eastward through the region.
Demand is expected to increase on Monday 12. July, is up. The ISO has asked the plant to postpone all scheduled repairs and remain on standby. Californians are asked to remain vigilant in case we need help tomorrow. Sign up for Flex alerts at https://t.co/VB7dqlpGmi.
– California ISO (@California_ISO) July 11, 2021
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