The objective is to conserve electricity in the late afternoons and early evenings to avoid rolling blackouts in six possible neighborhoods in Cathedral City. California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has issued a statewide Flex Alert today (third straight day in a row).
On Monday and Tuesday, you did your part to conserve and it worked. We need you to do it one more day as the state is engulfed in a heat wave. Between 3:00 pm and 10:00 pm, electrical usage may reach a breaking point on the grid and CAISO will need to start cutting power and institute rolling blackouts in order to stabilize the grid.
We need everyone to conserve as much energy as possible today starting at 3:00 pm through 10:00 pm tonight as several neighborhoods in Cathedral City are on the list for potential rolling blackouts that could last at least an hour or more. They include the following Southern California Edison electrical areas:
A001 (Vista Chino and Landau Blvd)
A002 (Palm Drive north of I-10)
A004 (Gerald Ford, Date Palm Drive, Lower Cove)
A023 (East Palm Canyon from Date Palm Drive to PS City Limits including City Hall)
A024 (Gerald Ford, Rio del Sol Neighborhood, Plumley Drive)
To view these areas on a map go to: https://www.sce.com/outage-center/outage-information/rotating-outages/rotating-group-number
The following are ways you can help to conserve energy and prevent the outages:
Between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m., the CAISO is urging consumers to:
- Set air conditioning thermostats to 78 degrees, if health permits.
- Defer use of major appliances.
- Turn off unnecessary lights.
- Unplug unused electrical devices.
- Close blinds and drapes.
- Use fans when possible.
- Limit time the refrigerator door is open.
Consumers can also take steps to prepare for the Flex Alert by doing the following before 3 p.m.:
- “Pre-cool” their homes, or lower air conditioning thermostats to 72 degrees.
- Charge electric vehicles.
- Charge mobile devices and laptops.
- Run dishwashers, washing machines and other major appliances.
- Set pool pumps to run in the early morning or late at night.
For information on Flex Alerts, and to get more electricity conservation tips, visit the CAISO’s Flex Alert website at http://www.flexalert.org
Follow grid conditions in real time at ISO’s Outlook at http://www.caiso.com/TodaysOutlook/Pages/default.aspx
