Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-CA, on Thursday declared a state of emergency as the recent heat wave pummels the state’s power grid.
Parts of California and other regions this week have reported record highs, with temperatures reaching up to 118 degrees. This prompted Gov. Newsom to declare a state of emergency, which would ease restrictions on backup generators and other sources of electricity.
“The proclamation suspends certain permitting requirements, allowing the use of back-up power generation and freeing up additional energy capacity to help alleviate the heat-induced demands on the state’s energy grid,” the governor’s office wrote in a statement.
Newsom had been the subject of criticism in 2020 after more than 200,000 Californians experienced rolling blackouts during a heat wave.
Officials in the state of California are also urging residents to reduce power consumption by setting their thermostats above 78 degrees and avoiding using power-heavy appliances in the evenings to avoid power outages and rolling blackouts.
