California electricity conservation needed this summer
As California transitions to much greater use of renewable energy resources like solar and wind power, and new battery technology to store that power, the state’s electricity grid remains vulnerable to widespread heat waves like the one that hit much of the western United States last summer.
That’s because when it gets really hot across the West, there is less power to import into California, especially during the period from 4 to 9 p.m. as solar energy production declines while the demand for power remains high.
California is taking active steps to remake its power system to address this fundamental challenge. At the California Independent System Operator, which manages the flow of electricity across the state’s high-voltage, long-distance power lines, we have heeded several important lessons learned that will make us nimbler the next time we anticipate emergency conditions affecting the electric grid.
But successfully transforming our power system to address the impacts of climate change is going to require active participation of all Californians. One of the most important things we learned last summer was the vital role that industry and consumers play in conserving power during times when the grid is stressed.
As we enter another hot summer, we have significantly enhanced our efforts to communicate about grid conditions and the potential need for conserva
tion. In partnership with state agencies, utilities and other service providers across the state, we are launching a renewed Flex Alert program that will provide advance warning of stressed grid conditions and be far more visible to Californians through an advertising campaign and more widespread messaging.
If we find ourselves facing another challenging moment for the electric grid everyone depends on, we will need direct action from consumers to reduce their demand for power to help us avoid rotating outages.
There are many ways to conserve electricity, but we will be concentrating on three primary steps consumers can take in late afternoon and early evening hours that collectively will make a big difference in reducing stress on the grid when demand is greater than capacity:
• Set residential thermostats to 78 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, if health permits.
• Avoid using major appliances, such as your dishwasher, washer or dryer.
• Turn off all unnecessary lights.
In a state of nearly 40 million people, these individual actions can add up to significant amounts of electricity conserved and make a huge difference in our ability to preserve the overall reliability of our power system. Last summer, after the first few days of record-setting heat resulted in outages on Aug. 14 and 15, California consumers and industry stepped up and conserved. The impact was significant.
When our Flex Alert public awareness campaign soon launches, consumers will learn more conservation tips they can take before and during an alert that will help protect the electric grid if we get another extended regional heat wave.
Over time, new programs, rate designs and incentives for conservation will further strengthen the capacity for flexible demand to play a key part in our resource strategy.
By working together and taking simple, pragmatic steps to conserve power when the grid gets stressed, we can help address the challenges of climate change and prove that California can achieve a reliable, clean energy future.