California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Thursday to address power grid concerns as the western U.S. faces a potential triple-digit heat wave.
Parts of California and a handful of regions in other western states have seen record daily highs this week, with temperatures soaring up to 118 degrees.
The move – citing “extreme heat peril” – will ease restrictions on backup generators, auxiliary engines and other sources of carbon-powered electricity as the state braces for a sweltering weekend.
CA POWER GRID OPERATOR ASKS RESIDENTS TO CUT BACK ON POWER USAGE
Newsom and state utility leaders were widely criticized during a heatwave last summer when more than 200,000 Californians suffered two days of rolling power outages – the first time residents had to deal with such issues in nearly 20 years.
Fuel consumption and air-quality restrictions on utility companies are also being rolled back during the emergency.