As California Heatwave Extends into Work Week, PG&E Urges Customers to Conserve

By Santa Ynez Valley Star Staff · Tue Mar 17 2020

Staff Report

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) urges customers to conserve energy to help prevent the need for rotating outages. PG&E meteorologists are forecasting the heatwave to get even hotter and continue through Wednesday night.

There will also be rotating power outages are likely to occur Monday, August 17. PG&E urges customers to conserve electricity in response to the California Independent System Operator’s (ISO)  statewide Flex Alert called for Monday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

"When curtailment is ordered, PG&E needs to execute it immediately and the expectation per regulation is that we are complete with the operation within 10 minutes. Unfortunately, there is not enough notice given by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) for us to warn our customers, so we ask everyone to prepare for such an outage by having a plan," according to Mark Mesesan, marketing and communications for PG&E. 

Conservation is critical to help reduce the need for the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to direct the state's utilities, including PG&E, to implement rotating outages in order to reduce load. With the weather forecasted to be even hotter, PG&E urges customers to be prepared for power outages.

Separate from the impact on rotating outages, conservation is also the best way to prevent stress and strain on the local power grid, helping to reduce other heat-caused power outages.

PG&E Tips to Save Energy and Reduce Usage

PG&E strongly urges all customers to conserve energy through next Wednesday.