Excessive Heat Zapping Electricity, Newsom Takes Executive Action

Sonora Triple Digit Heat

Sacramento, CA — Amid a major heatwave that is stressing California’s energy grid, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an emergency proclamation to free up additional energy capacity.

As reported early here, the California Independent System Operator has issued a Flex Alert for Thursday and Friday, calling on individuals and businesses to conserve evening energy. For an additional power boost, the governor’s proclamation suspends certain permitting requirements, allows for the use of backup power generation, and frees up additional energy capacity to help alleviate the heat-induced demands on the state’s energy grid.

Since last summer, the state’s energy agencies have made a push to ensure grid reliability by building the state’s climate resilience. Those actions include requiring utilities to procure additional energy resources to meet forecasted demand during extreme weather, bringing on additional storage and revamping the “Flex Your Power” campaign to help California conserve energy.

The entire proclamation can be viewed by clicking here.