Last Updated: 8/16/2020 at 2 pm

Over the next week, California and the rest of the West Coast will face a historic heatwave that will put pressure on our energy. In order to avoid electricity shortages, states like California are asking residents to reduce energy usage in order to prevent service interruptions. It’s especially important to limit energy usage from 3 pm to 10 pm. That means your air conditioning, electric car charging and other energy-intensive technology. Over cool your home overnight and in the morning in order to stay cool all!

Easy Actions You Can Take at Home

• Adjust Your Thermostat

• • Set your thermostat at 78° or higher during 3-10 pm.
  • Pre-cool your home by setting thermostats to 72° in the early part of the day (when it is more efficient) and 78° or higher after 3 pm
  • Use smart or programmable features to help maintain energy savings when you’re not

• Major Appliance Use

• • Postpone using major appliances like the oven, dishwasher, clothes washer, until cooler times of the
  • Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when
  • Wash clothes in cold
  • Clean or replace dirty
  • Turn your water heater down to 120° or the “normal”

• Close Windows and Doors

• • In the morning before the day starts to heat up, close windows and blinds to keep warm air
  • Keep windows and doors closed to prevent the loss of cooled air.

• Smart Energy Use

• • Turn off unnecessary
  • Use lamps with LEDs instead of overhead
  • Enable “power management” on all computers and turn off when not in
  • Unplug phone charges, power strips (those without a switch) and other equipment when not in

• Conservation Programs

• • Consider participating in your utility’s demand response program. These voluntary programs are short, temporary measures to reduce energy consumption when power supplies are critically low and a Flex Alert has been issued. Contact your local electric utility to learn about your utility’s program and incentives they may offer to

Save Energy at Work

• Lighting

• • Turn off unnecessary office lights, and use natural lighting where

• Thermostat

• • In the summer, set your zone thermostat to 78º or higher, when possible.

• Prevent Leaks

• • Check window vents to make sure they are clear of paper and other
  • Adjust the blinds on windows that receive direct sunlight
  • Keep exterior windows and doors closed to prevent the loss of cooled or heated

• Equipment

• • Turn off any office equipment that is not currently in use. Alternately, look for sleep or power-saving modes in-between uses during the
  • Enable power management settings on all computers, so that they go to sleep and turn off screens when not in

• Break room

• • Unplug electronics such as coffee-makers and microwaves when not in use and when the day is

• End-of-the-Day

• • As you leave the office, get in the habit of checking to make sure computers, printers/copiers, and other office equipment is fully shut down. If possible, switch them off at the power strip to ensure they are no longer draining

• Conservation Programs

• • Consider enrolling in your utility’s voluntary conservation program. These types of measures–also known as demand response programs–are short, temporary ways for your utility to reduce energy consumption when power supplies are critically low. Contact your electric utility to learn more about your utility’s program and incentives they may offer to

Downloads and Resources

National Weather Service – See current Watches, Warnings or Weather Advisories: https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/ca.php?x=1

• Cal ISO – Flex Alert downloadable graphics: http://www.flexalert.org/news/logos-web-banners
• State of California Heat and Power Contingency:https://www.caloes.ca.gov/PlanningPreparednessSite/Documents/ExcessiveHeatContingencyPlan2014.pdf#search=heat%2520preparedness
• Public Health Extreme Heat Resources: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/EPO/Pages/Extreme%20Heat%20Pages/BI_Natural-Disasters_Extreme-Heat.aspx
• Red Flag and Fire Weather Warnings: https://www.fire.ca.gov/programs/communications/red-flag-warnings-fire-weather-watches/

Fact Sheets from the CDC on those especially vulnerable to heat exhaustion and:

• People aged 65 and older | Spanish (en español)
• Infants and children | Spanish (en español)
• People with chronic medical conditions | Spanish (en español)
• Low income | Spanish (en español)
• Outdoor workers | Spanish (en español)
• Athletes | Spanish (en español)