California power grid threatened by record heat wave as wildfire risk rises
By Sharon Bernstein
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) – File warmth scorched elements of California on Tuesday, as energy operators urged residents to chop again utilization within the late afternoon to keep away from rolling blackouts brought on by excessive demand for air-con.
Among the many highest temperatures anticipated on Tuesday was a record-setting 115 levels Fahrenheit (46 C) within the state capital of Sacramento, the Nationwide Climate Service stated.
The heatwave, which started in Southern California final week and moved north over the Labor Day weekend, introduced all-time excessive temperatures for Sept. 5 to San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and different close by cities, the Nationwide Climate Service stated.
The most well liked day of the heatwave was anticipated to be Tuesday, and California Governor Gavin Newsom stated the danger of energy outages was actual and speedy.
“This warmth wave is on observe to be each the most popular and longest on file within the state and plenty of elements of the West for the month of September,” Newsom stated in a video despatched to reporters.
The climate has additionally made it harder to struggle wildfires, as sizzling air dries vegetation that may gasoline blazes.
On Monday, a quickly increasing wildfire in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, killed two individuals and injured a 3rd. On Tuesday, it was solely 5% contained, in line with the California Division of Forestry and Fireplace Safety (Cal Fireplace).
Over the previous week, a fireplace within the far nothern portion of the state killed two individuals and destroyed a whole bunch of properties and buildings in and across the metropolis of Weed. As of Tuesday morning, that fireside was 55% contained after scorching some 4,300 acres (1,620 hectares).
In Livermore, about 40 miles east of San Francisco, temperatures hit 116 levels Fahrenheit (46.6 C) on Monday, blasting by way of the earlier excessive of 108 levels Fahrenheit (42.2 C) in 1950.
The California Impartial System Operator, which manages a lot of the state’s electrical grid, prolonged its name for residents to set thermostats to 78 levels (25.5 C) and keep away from utilizing massive home equipment through the hours of 4 pm to 9 pm. Throughout these peak hours, energy generated by photo voltaic and hydro-electric assets begins to fade but demand for air-con stays excessive as inland areas hit the most popular elements of their day.
Different energy managers, together with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, requested residents of the hard-hit state capital area to preserve much more, setting their thermostats to 80 levels to assist keep away from blackouts.
The warmth, which is anticipated to proceed by way of Friday, is resulting in file demand on the vitality grid, stated Newsom, whose workplace has requested residents to relax their properties within the cooler mornings to 70 levels, after which set thermostats increased within the afternoon and night.
Greater than twenty years of drought and rising temperatures, exacerbated by local weather change, have made California extra weak than ever to wildfires. The 2 most devastating years on file have been in 2020 and 2021, primarily based on the variety of acres burned.
(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Enhancing by Alistair Bell)
