San Anselmo-Fairfax Flex Alert Continues Wednesday: Tips To Reduce Power Usage

MARIN COUNTY, CA – Marin County residents are urged to voluntarily conserve electricity to ease demand on the statewide power system again Wednesday afternoon.

The California Independent System Operator, which manages the statewide power grid, called a statewide Flex Alert for 2 p.m. until 9 p.m. Wednesday. A flex alert – issued when the electrical grid is "under stress – was in effect during the same hours Tuesday, when San Anselmo and Fairfax both hit 79 degrees.

Cal-ISO officials encouraged residents to conserve electricity especially during late afternoon hours, when air conditioners are typically used most. The agency predicted peak usage on Wednesday to exceed 46,600 megawatts, noting that widespread use of air conditioners can strain the electrical system.

According to Cal-ISO's website, electrical demand late Tuesday afternoon topped 44,000 megawatts. The highest demand ever recorded by the system was 50,270 megawatts, which occurred on July 24, 2006.

In the Bay Area, a heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service has been upgraded to an excessive heat warning on Thursday for some of the hotter inland areas of the North Bay mountains and the East Bay valleys and hills. The heat advisory has also been extended until Thursday evening for most inland areas and expanded to the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

Coastal locations will be near normal, but inland weather is expected to be roughly 20 degrees hotter than usual. The weather will begin to cool off Friday, continuing into the weekend.

With hot weather persisting for now, Cal-ISO officials encouraged customers to conserve energy by taking the following steps:

• Set thermostats at 78 degrees or higher
• Use fans and draw drapes
• Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances
• Use major appliances in the morning or late evening

Image via Shutterstock

Bay City News contributed to this report.