California Begs Residents to Avoid Charging Electric Vehicles to Protect Energy Grid
State government asks Californians to cut back amid heatwave power outages
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Liberal California's government is begging residents to avoid charging their electric cars in an effort to protect the power grid amid a persistent heatwave.
In the interest of avoiding blackouts, the California Independent System Operator released several requests in June for residents to conserve power.
Californians are encouraged to follow several steps to prevent “Flex Alerts” from coming into effect.
Among other measures, residents are told to “pre-cool your home by lowering the thermostat,” and “close window coverings to keep your home or apartment cool.”
When “Flex Alerts” come into effect, people must not “use major appliances, like your dishwasher, and clothes washer and dryer,” “charge electronic devices,” or “charge electric vehicles.”
— California ISO (@California_ISO) June 19, 2021
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One announcement explains:
By collectively taking a few simple actions, electricity use can be reduced enough to keep power on for everyone.
Last August and September, for instance, Californians heeded multiple Flex Alerts and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for a concerted response to emergency condition and reduced electricity use by 1,000 to 3,000 megawatts.
That is enough electricity to power up to 3 million homes, and the conservation likely prevented subsequent and more severe rotating outages last August and September.
As California’s ability to store solar and wind energy with batteries or other technology continues to increase, the crucial evening hours will be less challenging.
But for now, concerted action to conserve is our most effective way of keeping the grid working for everyone.
The state requested that residents voluntarily avoid using power for five hours on the evening of June 17, as well as three hours on the evening of June 18, according to Epoch Times.
California’s beleaguered energy grid has a long history of outages during high-stress periods — largely due to its heavy reliance on green energy.
NPR reported in August 2020:
As temperatures crept above 110 degrees in some parts of the state over the last week, California ISO knew the end of each day would be the toughest.
When the sun sets, the state’s fleet of solar farms turn off.
With the state’s growing clean energy mandates, renewables have become a significant source of energy, reaching up to 80 percent of the supply during the day.
One month later, California again braced for a round of blackouts during Labor Day Weekend, as noted by The Daily Wire.
The state issued Flex Alerts on Sunday and Monday from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm because “the grid operator is predicting an increase in electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use” related to extreme temperatures.
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In February, Texas — a state with a robust oil and gas industry — witnessed widespread grid failures as it experienced unusually cold weather.
Roughly 50% of the state’s wind power production shut down due to frozen windmill blades.
"If there’s one thing you would think Texas would be able to do, its keep the lights on,” wrote Fox News’ Tucker Carlson at the time.
"Most electricity comes from natural gas and Texas produces more of that than any place on the continent.
"There are huge natural gas deposits all over the state.
"Running out of energy in Texas is like starving to death at the grocery store: You can only do it on purpose, and Texas did.”
