California’s power grid operator issued a statewide flex alert from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday as high temperatures are expected to cause an increase in electricity use and strain the state’s power grid. The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) is expecting increased air conditioning usage across the state due to the unseasonable high heat on the West Coast.
Residents are encouraged to reduce their energy use during the flex alert window by not using unnecessary lights and major appliances, setting household thermostats to 78 degrees or higher and using fans rather than air conditioning units.
The National Weather Service has also issued a heat advisory for the Bay Area, spanning from 11 a.m. Thursday to 9 p.m. Friday, with temperatures expected in the upper 90s and 100s, particularly in inland areas.
Parts of the Bay Area like Santa Clara County will open public cooling centers during the heat wave to protect residents from heat-related illnesses like heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Cooling centers can be found across Santa Clara County at:
- Cupertino from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Cupertino Senior Center, located at 21251 Stevens Creek Blvd.
- Milpitas from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at the Barbara Lee Senior Center, located at 40 N. Milpitas Blvd.
- Santa Clara from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Santa Clara Senior Center, located at 1303 Fremont St.
- Mountain View from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Mountain View Community Center, located at 201 S. Rengstorff Ave.
- Sunnyvale from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Murphy Park Building, located at 260 N. Sunnyvale Ave.
Residents who visit a cooling center in Santa Clara County or any other part of the Bay Area are encouraged to follow county and state public health guidelines for preventing the spread of the coronavirus.