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World

California governor signs emergency heat proclamation amid heat wave

2020-08-18 09:09:01

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an emergency heat proclamation on Monday to free up energy capacity as an ongoing heat wave scorched the U.S. state.

The proclamation temporarily allows some energy users and utilities to use backup energy sources to relieve pressure on the grid during peak times during the energy emergency. State officials worked aggressively over the weekend to bring more energy resources online, according to a press release from the governor's office.

State officials noted that California's power grid is about 4,400 megawatts short of the energy needed to provide uninterrupted power service. Local authorities declared a statewide Stage 3 Electrical Emergency over the weekend, initiating rotating outages throughout the state for the first time since 2001.

In an effort to prevent or limit power outages during the heat wave, the California Independent System Operator issued a statewide Flex Alert, a call for voluntary electricity conservation, beginning Sunday and extending through Wednesday. The Flex Alerts are in effect from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day.

"Record-breaking heat is straining supplies; consumers should plan for potential outages," tweeted the agency on Sunday.

Officials urged California residents to refrain from major appliance use, turn off unnecessary lights and appliances, and set their thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 degrees Celsius) or higher between 3 and 10 p.m.

Excessive heat warnings were issued by the National Weather Service on Saturday and will be in effect till Wednesday for most of Southern California. Temperatures in California's Death Valley reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 degrees Celsius) on Sunday afternoon, the highest temperature recorded in the country since 1913, according to the National Weather Service. Enditem

Editor:Jiang Yiwei