Residents Urged To Conserve Energy As Heat Wave Hits Echo Park

LOS ANGELES, CA — As the heat wave for the record books cooks the Southland over the weekend, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power urged customers Friday to save energy where possible to avoid the threat of blackouts.

There are several ways you can do your part to help the community get through this heat wave safely. The key is to avoid electricity usage during peek demand.

According to the DWP, the agency has adequate resources to meet an anticipated power demand of 6,000 megawatts over the next few days. Over the last three summers, average energy use has peaked at 4,350 MW during the day, compared to an average daily peak of 3,555 MW throughout the year. DWP's record peak demand of 6,502 MW was reached on Aug. 31, 2017, at 4:15 p.m.

"As we prepare ourselves for extreme weather conditions, we remind our customers to conserve electricity, when possible, while staying safe," the utility's COO, Martin Adams, said. "Conserving energy not only can help manage your costs, but it also reduces potential strains on our power grid, which can be caused by overworked air conditioners and other appliances."

To help conserve energy, DWP recommended:

-- adjust air conditioning thermostats to 78 degrees to reduce energy usage during the hottest hours of the day when A/C systems have to work hardest to cool;

-- reduce power use during the afternoon/early evening hours from 2 to 9 p.m., when energy use is highest;

-- visit the local library, recreation center, mall, movie theaters or any other air conditioned gathering place to give your air conditioner a rest;

-- limit use of major appliances during peak hours of the day;

-- use washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and other heavy appliances during the early morning hours or during evening hours;

-- close window curtains, shades or blinds during the heat of the day to reduce the extra heat from direct sunlight through windows;

-- ventilate homes in the early morning and evening by opening windows and doors to clear out the heat and allow cooler air to circulate;

-- turn off lights and other electrical equipment when they are not in use; and

-- unplug "energy vampires" like cell phone chargers, DVD players, microwave ovens and other appliances that use energy even when not in use.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin; Photo: Shutterstock