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Cal ISO Calls Statewide Flex Alert For This Weekend

Joe Moore
/
Valley Public Radio

People use more energy when it’s hot, and California’s power grid operator has issued a Flex Alert because of the current heat wave.

Cal-ISO is the state’s Independent System Operator. When the forecast for demand gets close to the state’s power generating capacity, the operator calls a Flex Alert. Stephanie McCorkle with Cal-ISO says it’s most important to conserve during the peak usage hours between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

"Electricity is not something you can bottle up and store on a shelf. It is basically consumed the instant it is produced.”

McCorkle says the power grid has a maximum capacity of 54,000 megawatts, but that there is almost never that amount actually available. The forecast demand for today is about 47,000 megawatts.

A Flex Alert is also expected for Saturday and Sunday.

Information about today's Flex Alert status is available at the Cal-ISO website at http://www.caiso.com/Pages/Today's-Outlook-Details.aspx