The Latest: California heat brings energy ‘Flex Alert’

LOS ANGELES – The Latest on California calling for voluntary electricity conservation (all times local):

3:50 p.m.

Operators of California’s electricity grid have called for conservation as states across the West swelter.

The California Independent System Operator called a Flex Alert for Wednesday and Thursday, asking consumers to use less power from the peak demand hours of 2 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Spokeswoman Anne Gonzales says supplies are expected to be tight as air conditioning use soars and California finds it harder to import power from neighbouring states that are feeling the heat themselves.

The only other Flex Alert this year was on June 20. Gonzales says people reduced their power demand that day by a substantial 530 megawatts.

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11:45 a.m.

Operators of California’s power grid have issued a so-called Flex Alert calling for energy conservation due to high temperatures in the state.

The California Independent System Operator is asking consumers to conserve electricity Wednesday, especially during the peak demand period between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Cal-ISO says electricity supplies are expected to be tight due to use of air conditioners, power plant outages and reductions in transmission line import capacity due to high temperatures in neighbouring states.

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive-heat warning for a vast swath of California’s southeastern flank. Heat advisories are posted for the high deserts, Coachella Valley and the Anza Borrego desert.

The coastal region from Los Angeles to San Francisco and most of the state farther north will also be hot.