The Energy Providers of Southern California are urging customers to conserve electricity and natural gas during the current heat wave and recently-issued Flex Alert. Rising temperatures have again brought a call for energy conservation via a Flex Alert issued by the California Independent System Operator—the second of the summer. The Flex Alert was issued this morning and is in effect throughout the day today.
In support of the Flex Alert Program, the Energy Providers created Conserve Energy SoCal – a campaign that promotes energy conservation during the summer months by highlighting the links between the region’s natural gas and electricity systems. The program was first introduced last summer to bring Southern Californians together to conserve energy, save money and reduce the risk of natural gas and electricity shortages. Customers are encouraged to use the following conservation tips, also available here.
- Set your AC to 78 degrees, and turn it off when away.
- Cool with fans and by drawing drapes.
- Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances.
- Avoid using major appliances during the afternoon and early evening.
About 60 percent of the electricity generated in California comes from power plants that run on natural gas. With the limited availability of natural gas from the Aliso Canyon storage facility, there is less natural gas locally to produce electricity, particularly during high-usage periods. This could lead to power outages. To avoid the risk of outages, Conserve Energy SoCal is calling on Southern Californians to come together and reduce energy use.
The Flex Alert program achieved an average of 500 megawatts in voluntary conservation during each of three alerts issued last summer. That equates roughly to the amount of electricity used to power about 500,000 homes.
For more information on ways to conserve, visit ConserveEnergySoCal.com, or get updates and tips from Conserve Energy SoCal on Twitter and Facebook. You can also sign up to receive Flex Alerts here.
