California electrical providers instituted rolling blackouts Friday night – the first since 2001–as an intense and prolonged heat wave settled over much of the Western U. …
California electrical providers instituted rolling blackouts Friday night – the first since 2001–as an intense and prolonged heat wave settled over much of the Western U. S. Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have experienced brief power outages through the evening, after the body that manages most of the state’s electrical utilities declared a Stage 3 emergency to help reduce stress on the larger grid. Electrical demand surged through the day as temperatures topped the triple digits in many parts of the state and people cranked up fans and air conditioning units to try and stay cool. The emergency order was rescinded before midnight and power was fully restored to all affected households, the California Independent System Operator said in a tweet. Still, demand for electricity is expected to remain high through the weekend and well into next week. The heat wave blanketing much of California and other parts of the Western U. S. is expected to persist until at least Thursday, with many places expected to reach record high maximum and minimum temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.
