As a heat wave continues to roast the Southland, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power asks customers to keep conserving energy use where possible between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. today, while staying safe. A statewide Flex Alert was issued yesterday by the California Independent System Operator (CAL ISO) to encourage energy conservation through Sunday, August 12. LADWP joins CAL ISO in this call, asking customers for conservation to prevent overtaxing the electrical infrastructure that serves Los Angeles around the clock daily.
Energy demand in Los Angeles reached 5642 megawatts Thursday but today’s demand is expected to approach higher levels, as the heat wave reaches its peak intensity, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees for the fourth straight day in the San Fernando Valley. LADWP’s all-time high energy demand was 6177 megawatts, recorded on September 29, 2010.
Heat-Related Power Outages
Despite the high temperatures, the LADWP system has functioned well and power outages have been minimal, however hot weather can lead to outages- and for a variety of reasons. The heat not only leads to more people operating their air conditioners all at once but also causes other appliances to work harder in order to perform. This puts strain and stress on electrical infrastructure and can overburden power lines, transformers and other equipment, causing them to fail. It can also trigger substation circuit breakers or other electrical equipment that is designed to protect the system to shut down automatically before serious damage occurs.
To learn more about LADWP’s power supply, load demand and heat-related outages, please click here.
Energy Conservation Tips
To help reduce energy use, LADWP recommends the following as highly effective conservation measures:
LADWP on Tuesday issued these tips to help conserve energy and stay cool at home and in the workplace.
Beat the Heat
During periods of extreme heat, selected City facilities will extend their hours to provide additional relief from the heat. The following facilities will be open until9:00 p.m.
Canoga Senior Citizen Center |
Sepulveda Recreation Center
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North Hollywood Recreation Center
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Sylmar Recreation Center
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Sunland Senior Citizen Center
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Sherman Oaks East Valley Adult Center
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The City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department (EMD) recommends the following during periods of extreme heat, to avoid heat exhaustion, heat cramps and sunstroke:
For updates and the latest news from EMD, visit their online newsroom.
For more heat wave preparedness tips, visit readyla.org, LA’s official readiness, response and recovery website.
In Case of Power Outage
LADWP has an excellent record of reliable power service. Nonetheless, extreme weather like heat introduces increased risk of power service interruptions.
If you have a power outage, please follow these tips:
More Information
For more information, please visit www.ladwp.com.
For the latest news about LADWP, please visit www.ladwpnews.com.
Follow the Department on Twitter: @LADWP.