With high summer temperatures scorching California, Pomona Choice Energy encourages customers to conserve energy to help keep the state’s power grid stable and limit rolling blackouts.

“Monitoring and reducing your energy use can be difficult, but it is important for us to work together to limit rolling blackouts and avoid widespread blackouts during heat waves,” said Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval. “If all businesses and residents are thoughtful about their energy use, even in small ways, our efforts to keep the grid stable can go a long way. Small changes in behavior can have a large collective impact.”

To conserve energy, Pomona Choice Energy encourages residents to turn off and unplug all electronics and appliances that are not in use, including televisions, computers, phone chargers and coffee makers. Additionally, because water heating makes up approximately 90 percent of energy used by laundry machines, residents should consider washing full laundry loads using cold water. Customers can find a full list of energy-saving tips on the Energy Efficiency Tips page.

Customers should also sign up for Flex Alerts, which are voluntary calls for energy conservation. Flex Alerts are typically issued in the evening during summer months when extremely hot weather drives up energy demand to an amount that may exceed available energy supply.

During a Flex Alert, customers are encouraged to reduce their energy consumption during peak hours so that energy demand does not exceed the supply, which may prompt the California Independent Systems Operator (CAISO), which manages the flow of electricity for 80 percent of California, to consider the possibility of initiating rolling blackouts (temporary, planned power outages that reduce the risk of a longer, widespread blackout). When a Flex Alert is in effect, customers should:

  • Set thermostats to 78 degrees when home and to 85 degrees or “off” when away
  • Cook with an outdoor grill or microwave to keep home cooler
  • Rest air conditioners and cool homes with open windows and fans
  • Shut off lights when leaving a room
  • Close blinds to keep out the afternoon heat
  • Limit the opening and reopening of refrigerators, which are major users of electricity in
    many homes
  • Plug home electronics into power strips and turn off power strips when equipment is not in use
  • Unplug electronic devices and chargers when they are not in use.
  • Hang or line-dry clothes
  • When possible, businesses should shift power-intensive work to morning or late-evening hours

“Excessive heat can create challenges for our state’s energy infrastructure, but there are concrete actions that consumers can take to limit harmful situations from unfolding,” continued Sandoval. “CAISO’s Flex Alerts are a great way to initiate community-wide energy conservation and I applaud all of our residents and businesses who voluntarily follow the Flex Alert guidelines.”

To sign up for Flex Alerts, visit FlexAlert.org. For more energy-saving tips, visit pomonachoiceenergy.org/energy-savings/energy-efficiency-tips.